


Twice Bitten

by Cherienymphe



Series: Mythological [5]
Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, F/F, F/M, Human/Vampire Relationship, Loss of Virginity, Minor Character Death, Multi, Threesome - F/M/M, Vampire Bucky Barnes, Vampire Sex, Vampire Steve Rogers, Vampires, f/f - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-20
Updated: 2021-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-18 12:35:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 2
Words: 23,916
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28867113
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cherienymphe/pseuds/Cherienymphe
Summary: King Steve has the reputation of the kindest king in all the land. How sad it is that such a man always seems to be burying a wife, leaving him lonely and searching for another. Seeing how Queen Margaret’s death affected you, the king hopes to raise your spirits by marrying you off to the handsome Duke, James Barnes, unbeknownst to you, sealing your fate.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Reader, Peggy Carter/Reader, Peggy Carter/Steve Rogers, Steve Rogers/Reader, stucky/reader - Relationship
Series: Mythological [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2116842
Comments: 1
Kudos: 111





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> WARNINGS: NON-CON, vampire!Stucky, blood, infidelity, murder, violence, manipulation, side of Peggy x reader
> 
> !!! DNI IF THIS OFFENDS YOU !!!

You knocked once before entering the royal chamber with a soft smile on your face. The king, per usual, was an early riser and had long been dressed and making the rounds. Queen Margaret, the night owl that she was, enjoyed sleeping in. You softly called her name as you moved about the room, opening the drapes to let the light in.

When you heard no stirring, you made your way to the bed. You pulled the canopy from around it, giggling to yourself at how the queen was sprawled along the sheets, soft curls splayed around her head like a halo. The sunlight highlighted the red in her brown hair, pink lips parted as light snores left her.

“Your majesty.”

Your voice was louder now, but in no means harsh, and still, she did not stir. With a sigh, you sat on the edge of the bed and leaned over to shake her awake. As soon as your hand touched her shoulder, she sat up to press a quick kiss to your lips, startling you. She laughed at the shocked expression on your face, and you frowned at her, fighting back a smile of your own.

“Your majesty,” you chided. “You cannot do such things. Suppose someone had seen? Suppose the _king_ had seen?”

She threw the sheets back to exit the bed, a scoff escaping her as she rose.

“Do you honestly believe that Steve will think it anything other than affection amongst friends? The mind of the average man cannot fathom women taking pleasure amongst each other as they do with men.”

You followed her into the bath chamber, rushing to prepare her water, but she had already beat you to it. You huffed, and she threw a smirk at you, her nightdress swiftly dropping to the floor.

“Your majesty-.”

You were cut off as she cleared her throat, brown eyes narrowed ever so slightly at you.

“ _Peggy_ ,” you corrected yourself, rolling your eyes. “Will you at least _pretend_ to allow me to do my duties?”

She did not respond, opting instead to sink into the steaming water. She looked up at you, eyes sparkling as she extended her hand, a soft smile on her lips. Your shoulders sank.

“Peggy,” you quietly warned.

“Join me?” she softly asked. “I feel as if I have not seen you in days.”

That was hardly true, but hours apart did feel like days indeed. Never one to resist, you swiftly began to undress, your giggles joining Peggy’s as you sank down in front of her. Both of your knees were bent as you faced each other, and her hand took yours, playing with your fingers as she hummed.

“You have such nice hands, Y/N. You are going to make some lucky man very happy one day,” she mused.

“Whatever do you mean by that?” you asked, confusion evident.

She grinned at you, amusement in her eyes.

“I shall tell you later. You _are_ intending to marry soon, are you not? You have a birthday approaching, and I just _know_ that your father is probably breathing down your neck about the whole ordeal,” she snidely commented, distaste for your father evident.

You supposed that you could not blame her. He was not a kind man.

“He is,” you quietly confirmed. “He is eyeing the blacksmith that lives a few houses over…a handsome young man, but I hear he is quite…the ‘gentleman’.”

You pointedly raised your eyebrows as her gaze caught yours, and she rolled her eyes.

“Oh please. If you are to marry a whore for a husband, let him at least be a rich one,” she remarked, making you bark a laugh.

You splashed water at her.

“Peggy!”

“I speak the truth. What could you possibly get out of an arrangement such as that one?”

She pressed her hand under your chin, lifting your face as she ran her eyes over you.

“No,” she hummed. “Someone such as yourself deserves a good match, and a good word from the king and queen will give you exactly that.”

Your eyes widened, and you took her hand, lips parted in awe.

“You would do that?”

Your voice was small, and her eyes softened as she gazed at you, hand touching your cheek now.

“Of course. I will not rest until you get the life you deserve,” she whispered.

You grinned at her, and she returned it with a soft chuckle.

“Now, I would like to aim for a prince-.”

“A prince!”

“…but…can you settle for a duke?”

“Peggy…I am not of royal blood, not even close,” you argued to which she tutted.

“I am the queen, and my husband is the king. No one would dare argue against us nor a match we orchestrated ourselves,” she told you.

You huffed and shook your head at her but played along.

“Well…Lord Samuel is rather handsome,” you admitted

Her smile extended, eyes widening.

“He is, isn’t he?”

“Peggy!”

She simply laughed.

“You are not to say such things. You are married, and to the king, _remember_?”

“I have eyes, do I not?” she said with a shrug, before wistfully sighing. “I imagine if it were not for you, I would spend my free time daydreaming about him. Or perhaps marquess Anthony.”

You grew silent as she hummed, and she noticed. Her eyes fell to you, a slight frown on her face at your sudden change in demeanor.

“Whatever is the matter? Y/N?”

Her hand squeezed yours, and you frowned.

“Do you…ever feel guilty? About us, I mean,” you wondered. “…because I do.”

She tilted her head, shoulders sagging as she gazed at you with a look you could not decipher. It was a cross between affection and pity, a look of reluctance joining them as she seemed to ponder over something. Eventually she sighed, leaning back against the inside of the tub.

“I have one lover,” she began.

You blinked, frown deepening.

“I imagine that I feel about as guilty as Steve does for however many he has,” she continued with a shrug.

Your eyes widened as you hurriedly leaned forward, shock coursing through you. Your mind whirled at the knowledge that the king had other women, and you wanted to curse yourself for never having considered it. Surely, Peggy would not be here with you if the king was as wonderful a husband as you initially believed. 

“Peggy,” you softly said, reaching for her. “Is…is that why…?”

“It is,” she quietly replied, placing both of her hands on your cheeks now. “That first morning that you woke me up, the morning after I was brought here to marry Steve, I thought to myself…that you were so pretty. Like a painting!”

You brushed your fingers over her arm.

“I had every intentions of being a good wife, but after our marriage, I discovered that Steve would be out throughout all times of the night and that sometimes…he…well, he did not smell like me lets just leave it at that. I thought to myself that if he can find affection elsewhere, then so can I.”

That made you incredibly sad, and you were sure it showed.

“I’m sorry.”

She shook her head.

“Do not fret over it, Y/N. Steve is still the wonderful man and king you know. This is just simply the way of the world sometimes. Our marriage was arranged, and no matter how fond we were of each other from the start, neither of us were ready to settle down-.”

“Peggy,” you warned for the umpteenth time.

She giggled.

“Oops. I forgot that I was supposed to be untouched, a _maiden_ when I married him,” she said with a roll of her eyes. “Either way, we will eventually grow to love one another faithfully, I’m sure. Just as you will with your husband, but I am determined to find you a man who will touch you and only you.”

Her eyes sparkled at you.

“Who will touch you as you should be touched. Who will touch you as I do,” she whispered.

You playfully rolled your eyes.

“I doubt any of them will touch me like you do.”

“You would be surprised how many actually know their way around a woman’s body. Not all of them are fumbling brutes,” she waved you off.

“…the king?” you suddenly wondered.

It was scandalous to ask such a thing, but Peggy was your best friend, and you knew she would take no offense. She wiggled her eyebrows, just as you expected, and leaned in.

“The king is _exceptional_ in bed.”

“Ugh, I should not have asked,” you complained as she turned you around. “I hope I can find such satisfaction in my marriage bed.”

She hummed as she washed your back.

“You will. I am certain of it. You shall have a long happy marriage that will bear…two children. A boy and a girl, and they will grow up with my children, and we shall grow old together. Perhaps we will even die on the same day,” she mused.

You looked over your shoulder at her.

“You swear it?”

She pressed her lips to your cheek.

“I swear it.”

  


You slapped your hands to your mouth to hold in your scream, watching in awe as Peggy pulled the entire length of the banana out of her mouth. She sent you a secretive smile.

“…and…they enjoy that?”

She smirked.

“Do you not enjoy it?”

You felt heat climb to your cheeks, and you huffed, glancing away.

“Yes, but…that is a little different, your _majesty_.”

She handed the fruit to you as you both stood, and your stomach almost thanked you as you ate it. She took your hand and pulled you along through the gardens.

“When I am done with you, you shall glide through your wedding night with a breeze, and your husband will not even dream of going to another…”

She stopped and faced you.

“…but not because of your talents in bed, but because he shall love you. What you can do with your mouth and your hands will simply be…the ganache on top of a splendid cake.”

She pulled you along, and you fought to keep up. An air of excitement surrounded her, giving her a mesmerizing glow. You soon found out why.

“I took the liberty of listening in on one of Steve’s meetings, and it just so happens that his old friend, James Barnes, is finally returning to the kingdom,” she began.

“The duke?” you questioned with wide eyes, heart skipping a beat.

“Indeed. The ever- _eligible_ duke.”

You stared at her in disbelief, and when she started to giggle you joined in. She pulled you closer, pressing her forehead to yours.

“We shall be growing old together, after all, it seems…”

Your cackles were interrupted by the clearing of a throat. The two of you quickly broke apart to find the king before you, and you swiftly took a step back, bowing towards him.

“Your majesty,” you greeted.

The king acknowledged you with a small smile on his face, and you only relaxed when he looked away, gaze landing on Peggy. His gaze hardened ever so slightly, and you frowned a bit at that. Had you not been studying him, you probably would have missed it. You wondered if he was troubled by something, recalling that being the only time you had ever seen him look anything less than pleasant.

King Steve had a reputation for being an incredibly kind soul. His nature was known throughout the land and, having served a good majority of his wives since coming to work in the castle years ago, you could attest to that. It pained you to have to watch him bury them again and again.

They were all beautiful, varying in age. Some of them were around your age, like Peggy, and some were older, but they all ended up sharing the same fate: buried long before their time and leaving behind a grieving husband. You often wondered if the king was cursed, doomed to bury each woman he marries, but you had served Peggy going on a year now. This was the longest he had ever been married, and you were confident that you and the queen would indeed die on the same day.

“Margaret, I would like a word with you,” he told her.

Peggy seemed confused by his demand, but she nodded, nonetheless. Peggy once told you that she only allowed people she felt incredibly close with to call her Peggy. It saddened you that she felt she and the king were not there yet, even after a year, but you recalled her confidence that they would grow to love each other in time.

“Very well,” she said just before turning to you. “Darling, would you run to the kitchens and prepare-.”

“Y/N shall have the rest of the day off,” the king interrupted, and you both looked to him with surprise.

You found his gaze on you, something unreadable in his eyes, and you swallowed with a nod.

“The queen and I have much to discuss,” he explained.

“Of course. Your majesty,” you said.

You turned to Peggy, sending her a soft smile as you bowed and bid her adieu as well. You left them, and just before you entered the castle, you turned to look over your shoulder, surprised to find the king’s gaze already on you. Embarrassed at having been caught, you hurriedly turned to make your way inside.

The rest of your day was spent with some of the other servants. Their company was not the same though, and every day with the queen felt like a day off to you. When night fell, you could not help yourself and made your way to the royal chambers only to wish the queen a goodnight.

You were unsurprised to find it empty of the king, especially after what Peggy had revealed to you about his nightly activities. You _were_ surprised to find her tucked away in bed though. Peggy’s energy seemed to rise with the moon, and she could usually be found reading a book or doing some other odd activity at this hour.

Her lashes fluttered open as you rounded the bed, and your eyes widened. In such a short time, she had grown to look sickly, and you reached for her. She took your hand with a weak smile, resting it on her cheek, and you knelt before her.

“Peggy…you are ill?”

She hummed, eyes briefly falling closed.

“It would seem so. It came out of nowhere, and to be quite honest, I have no memory of even getting here. I must have fainted,” she said, voice barely a whisper.

You looked her over with worry, heart clenching as you thought about each and every wife the king had long buried.

“Well, you do not feel warm, so that is good.”

“Good,” she murmured.

“I only came to wish you a goodnight, but I did not actually expect to find you already in bed,” you chuckled. “How was your day with the king?”

She frowned a bit as she considered your words.

“It was…good. Although, I somehow cannot recall much. How strange,” she whispered. “I _did_ speak with him about you though.”

“Did you…”

“Mm hmm,” she cheerily replied. “He is very on board with the idea of putting in a good word to find you a suitable match. I did drop hints that I want you with the duke, but you know how men can be. I will probably have to spell it out for him tomorrow.”

She gave a light chuckle, and you forced yourself to join in. She just looked so…frail. Voice weak and skin empty of all its color, hair sticking to her neck with a cold sweat despite her lack of warmth. You swallowed, repeating to yourself that she would not share the same fate as so many others. Her lashes kept fluttering, a sign that she was struggling to stay awake, and you stood, not wanting to keep her any longer.

“I shall leave you to rest then.”

She tugged you until your lips met hers, and she smiled into the kiss before finally letting you go.

“Goodnight, Y/N.”

“Goodnight. I will see you bright and early.”

She groaned at the thought, and you chuckled, sure to close the door behind you as you exited. You stood at the door in the dimly lit corridor, forcing yourself not to worry over her condition. It was probably a harmless bug or something. The corridor to your right, the rest of the royal wing, was dark, and you shuddered as you stared down it, the strange feeling of being watched taking over you.

Had you believed in ghosts, you might wonder if the castle was haunted with the spirits of the king’s wives, but you did not believe such things. With a small sigh, you turned left and made your way to the stairs.

  


You knocked once before entering the royal chamber, the usual soft smile on your face.

“I know you did not expect me to be here bright and early, but I am a woman of my word if nothing else,” you said as you parted the drapes.

The sun was just peeking over the horizon, and you turned to make your way towards the bed. You pulled back the curtains of the canopy, approaching the queen with a grin.

“You will not fool me so easily into letting you sleep in, your majesty.”

Peggy was still, but she often feigned sleep, and you huffed.

“Your majesty…”

Again, she did not stir, and your brows furrowed ever so slightly. With a soft sigh, you shook her shoulder, but she did not react. You blinked as you eyed her, face falling a bit, noting that even in the low light from the barely risen sun, she looked pale. However, that was how she looked last night, so it seemed that she was still fighting that sudden bug.

A sudden thought occurred to you, one that you did not want to even fathom, and you shook her again, harder this time. There was no reaction from her, at all. In fact, you could not even hear her soft breaths. Swallowing, you lowered yourself beside her, reaching for her as your heart sank, a dreaded feeling in your gut.

“Peggy,” you softly said, fingers meeting her face.

A choked gasp escaped you, fingers flinching away from her cold skin. You slid off of the bed and stumbled back into the table behind you, tripping over it and bringing it crashing to the ground with you. You did not even flinch when the vase shattered, shards of glass hitting your skin.

Your chest was heaving, vision shaky as you stared up at her cold still body. Your throat felt tight, stomach tighter, and it took longer than you would have liked to realize that the awful wailing noise you could register was you. You shuffled towards her on your hands and knees, paying no mind to the glass digging into you.

You clawed at the bedding, hands grasping at her, fingers dancing over her face, shaking her, doing anything you possibly could to get her to open her eyes. It felt like one of her games, like she was playing a trick on you, and she would rise any moment. When that became clear that that would not happen, you forced yourself to stand on shaky legs.

Your shoulder caught the frame as you exited the room, pain flaring in your arm, but the pain in your chest was more prominent. You held the skirts of your dress up in taut hands, shoes hitting against the stone flooring as you ran down the corridor. You screamed for anyone near, anyone who could help you, but the halls were unsurprisingly scarce. Most servants just barely rose with the sun.

“Someone help! Send for the doctor, quickly!”

Your voice bounced off of the walls, and your vision was blurry now as you neared the stairs. You hurried down them, legs unsteady, and you yelped when your feet tripped over each other, dragging you down. You would have surely hit the hard floor had it not been for unfamiliar hands steadying you.

Your eyes were wide as they connected with familiar blue ones, but relief, however small it was, filled you. The king’s brows were drawn together, face pinched in concern as he took in your distraught state. You opened your mouth to get the words out, but all that left you was a wailing sob. He did not seem offended that your fingers were twisting into his shirt, nails probably pressing into his chest, and his hold was firm as he righted you as best as he could.

He opened his mouth to speak when you finally gathered enough air to beat him to it.

“Y-your majesty, you must…you must come quickly. Please,” you cried, yanking him as you stumbled back.

He was not fazed by your uncharacteristic, and inappropriate, behavior towards him, but instead seemed more concern with your mental state.

“Y/N, tell me-.”

“You must come quickly, your majesty, please, _please_ ,” you shrieked.

Taken aback, he simply nodded, and allowed you to pull him along.

“It is the queen. You must help her, do something, she-.”

You cut yourself off with another choking sound, face wet with your tears, and you struggled to swallow down the bile that threatened to rise. He attempted to halt you, probably trying to calm you, but you shook your head, fighting against him as you yanked him down the corridor.

You finally let him go as you neared the royal chambers, and you sprinted to the door, unable to look inside as you faced him. You pressed a hand to your stomach, trying to slow your breathing as you used your other hand to shakily point inside the room. His face fell, and he hurried past you. You looked away as you waited, pressing your back to the wall as he sprinted back out moments later.

Mind so far removed from your body, you did not even register that the doctor had arrived until he had long been in the room. Your chest was still heaving, tears silently running down your cheeks as your lips trembled. You jumped when a hand touched your shoulder, head hitting the wall, and the king cautiously raised his other hand at you as if you were some wild animal he was trying to approach.

He was saying something to you, but you did not hear him. You had made the mistake of looking into the room, just in time to watch as the doctor pulled the sheet over Peggy’s face. You sharply inhaled, blood rushing in your ears as your vision crossed. You felt yourself falling, and your last thought was that you hoped you hit your head hard enough to die, wishing to see a familiar face on the other side.

  


You were pulled from sleep so abruptly, jerking awake only to be met with frantic hands and soothing voices. Two other servants, who you recognized as Guinevere and Mary Jane, were pressing cool cloths to your forehead and cheeks, softly shushing you as you jolted. They were both quickly shooed away by a familiar voice, and the king’s face quickly replaced both of theirs.

He stopped you when you tried to sit up, shaking his head, and you reluctantly laid back down. Your head pounded, and you pressed your hand to it as he sighed. You heard them leave.

“You gave us quite the scare,” he said, voice low.

“…my apologies…your majesty,” you forced out, briefly squeezing your eyes shut.

“No apology necessary. You have been through quite the ordeal…”

His words jogged your memory, and your lashes fluttered as you remembered Peggy’s still face and cold form. You prayed it was all a horrible nightmare, and you hesitantly looked to the king, eyes wide and pleading.

“Her…her majesty?”

His face grew solemn, and your heart clenched, that horrible ache returning as you looked away.

“She was to be buried yesterday, but I figured it a cruel thing to do while you slept,” he said, making your eyes widen further.

“What…what day is it?” you gasped out.

The king looked down at you, blue eyes pitying as he brushed his fingers along your forehead. You did not think much of it, mind immediately whirling at his next words.

“You slept for two whole days,” he answered, making you blanch.

Two days. Your mind could not comprehend such a thing, and you struggled with the fact that you had lost two whole days to come to peace with Peggy’s demise. You glanced around, realizing that you were in one of the guest chambers normally reserved for royal visitors. You could feel the king’s gaze burning into you, and your eyes met his again.

“You were a great friend to her, perhaps her only friend here, so I welcome your opinion as to what she should be buried in. She did always enjoy the color red…”

“Pink,” you murmured without thinking.

He paused, raising an eyebrow at you.

“I beg your pardon…?”

Realizing that you had spoken out of turn, you snapped your mouth shut, shaking your head, but king Steve was not having that.

“Speak freely, Y/N. As I said, you were her friend. I want your thoughts, and I meant that,” he said, as kind as ever.

You glanced down, fiddling with your fingers as you brushed your tongue along your lip.

“Peggy’s favorite color was pink…not red.”

He did not respond, and so you continued.

“ _My_ favorite color is red, but it is not a color typically worn by servants. A royal color,” you murmured. “…so…Peggy wore it for me…because I could not.”

It was quiet for a while, your words lingering in the air as the king seemed to stew over them.

“I see. She shall be buried in pink then,” he decided.

You hardly heard him, mind reeling at the indisputable fact that Peggy was gone. You felt fresh tears kiss your eyes as you stared at the sheets, and you heard the king move.

“You called her Peggy… I did not realize you two were that close,” he hummed.

You looked to him, finding his blue gaze already on you, face unreadable, and you shrugged.

“She was always kind to me,” you whispered.

He tilted his head, a blond strand kissing his eyebrow.

“You say that as if the others were not…”

You bit your lip as you thought of the king’s other wives that you had served before their tragic deaths. No. None of the others had ever been kind to you. They did not appreciate a female servant being so close to their king, even one whose sole duty was to serve the queen. Oddly enough, they all felt threatened by you, and you had never understood why.

You would have to be a blind fool to not think the king handsome, for he was definitely that, but you _appreciated_ his beauty. You did not covet it for yourself. As Peggy might say, he was simply not your type, but none of the other wives could fathom that. They were most cruel to you, and while you thought it heartbreaking that they all had their lives cut tragically short, you did not lose much sleep over it.

Not like Peggy.

“It is not good to speak ill of the dead, your majesty,” you finally replied.

You looked up at him, and there was a faint smirk on his lips, but he simply nodded and let it go.

“I would like for you to rest in these next few days. You deserve to grieve as well as I for Margaret was not just a wife to me, but a friend to you as well.”

“Thank you, your majesty,” you said, voice barely a whisper.

You could feel his lingering gaze on you, but your eyes traced the pattern of the bedding. You only allowed the tears to fall when the click of the door reached your ears.

  


Peggy’s burial was as nice as could be, you supposed, but there was nothing nice at all about having to bury her. She was your best friend first and foremost, but you cared for her deeply. Perhaps you even loved her, but unlike her, you had never voiced it. You had never shown her so with words, and you prayed that she died knowing how you felt.

As you made your way back into the castle, you were halted by a vaguely familiar voice. You turned, eyes widening a bit as they connected with those of the Duke’s. You had heard whispers in the castle that he had arrived late last night and that he would be in attendance. You had not seen him, but then again, you were hardly there at all. Your mind had been elsewhere since the moment you awoke.

“Your grace,” you greeted, bowing to him.

You had not seen James Barnes for years, and he was just as handsome as you remembered, dark hair short and neatly pushed away from his face, eyes as blue as the king’s. The story was that he and the king grew up together, their friendship only strengthening as the years passed on. Of course, you were not there to witness it, but you recalled the two being as thick as thieves before the duke left to represent the king in a foreign dispute that required his presence. He had been gone for a little over two years.

He had always been polite towards you.

You briefly wondered if he was back for good, and you suddenly remembered Peggy’s excitement at the thought of a match between you two with a good word from her and the king. You remembered the way her face had lit up as she prattled on about the two of you raising your children amongst each other and growing old together. Your face fell, and your heart sank.

This did not go unnoticed by the duke.

“Steve informed me that while you were her servant, you were also her friend. I am sorry for your loss as well,” he softly said, surprising you.

“…thank you,” you eventually said.

You turned to leave, but he stopped you with a hand on your arm, and your eyes widened. There was a soft smile on his face, eyes warm and inquiring.

“Steve said that he has given you a few days to yourself to properly grieve.”

“He has,” you replied with a nod. “He is most kind. He always has been…”

You found yourself suddenly feeling sad for the king. The man had buried eight wives in five years, and that was simply since you had come to work in the castle. There was two more before that. Surely, he was cursed, and you wondered how awful he must feel. You wondered if he ever blamed himself. You heard whispers amongst town that others did, that they surmised he had crossed some witch who cast a spell on him, that he was doomed to be alone forever.

There were other rumors as well, ones that held much more sinister accusations, and you shook those thoughts away. The king was a kind man, always had been, and was not capable of such nasty claims. The duke smirked at your words, seeming to find amusement in them, but you did not know why.

“He is…isn’t he…”

You could not quite place his tone, but he spoke again before you could dwell on it.

“I am glad to be back, but it is unfortunate that I am met so with unfortune circumstances. I did not know the queen, but any friend of yours must have been a wonderful soul indeed.”

You were taken aback by the compliment, and you cleared your throat, unsure of how to respond to that. You glanced away, surprised to find the king’s gaze on you as he stood on the other side of the castle doors, blond hair ruffled by the wind as he watched both of you. You looked back to the duke, and his eyes drank you in as you swallowed. You simply thanked him before bowing and taking your leave.

You could feel his eyes on you as you did so, but then again, you always seemed to feel his gaze. The days that followed in which you were to rest, you spent a great deal of them outside on the grounds. Some days you were by the water and others you were in the gardens. It was where Peggy liked to spend her free time, but you were never alone for long.

The duke always seemed to find you sooner or later, but his presence was not unwelcome. He greeted you with soft smiles that reminded you of the late queen, and you found yourself greeting him the same. He would point out different plants to you, even telling you of what use they could be, when he was not recounting his time abroad that is. You liked to listen to his stories. Peggy, having been from a foreign kingdom herself, had often told you of stories from a land you had never had the pleasure of going to.

Your grief did not wane, and you feared it never would, but the duke was able to make you forget, if only for a short time. Wading around with nothing to do left you ample time to dwell on Peggy’s death and the absence she left behind. That was how you found yourself quickly immersed in your duties once again, unable to stand such thoughts.

With no queen around, you were to tend to the king until another took her place. The thought of another sitting where Peggy sat made your heart clench, a pained gasp escaping you as you pressed your hand to the wall. You did not expect to see another queen for a while, at least a few months, but you knew how royalty worked, knew that the king needed an heir. None of his wives had ever given him a son, no child in general, and you feared he would rush into another marriage to procure one.

You stood outside of the royal chambers for quite some time, unable to make yourself go in. You had not been inside since Peggy died, and you just could not bring yourself to do so. Before you had the chance to muster up the courage, the door swung open, and there stood the king in all of his glory. You were startled, even more so by the sight of his bare chest, and you glanced away.

“Apologies, your majesty. I was coming in to wake you, but I…”

“Perhaps you need more time to yourself,” he suggested, and you frantically shook your head.

“That won’t be necessary,” you told him,

You looked up as he stepped to the side, and hesitantly, you stepped towards his chambers. He shut the door behind you as soon as you were inside, and your eyes fell to the empty side of the bed where Peggy once slept. Swallowing, you forced your eyes away as you made your way to the bath.

You were tired as you prepared his bath water, the king a much earlier riser than Peggy ever was. You heard him approach just as you finished, and when you straightened, you were startled by the feel of his chest brushing against your arm. You had not realized that he was so close, and you stumbled back.

“Apologies,” you stuttered out, but he simply smiled at you before swiftly undressing.

You looked away just in time, wide eyes trained on the wall as he lowered himself into the steaming water. You had not tended to the king in a year. Was he always so brazen? Peggy surely was, so perhaps they were more alike than you thought.

“Will you take your breakfast in your receiving chamber, your majesty?”

“I will. Be sure enough is prepared for both James and I as he will be joining me,” he said, a soft sigh leaving him as you heard the water splash a bit.

You nodded and moved to go do just that when your movements were halted. You looked at him as he held your wrist in his hand, head lazily leaning back against the bath, blue eyes bright and focused on you. Your brows furrowed slightly, taken aback by the cool touch of his skin, never having noticed it before.

“You have been spending a great deal of your time with James, I noticed.”

Unsure as to why he was mentioning this, you merely nodded.

“He always seems to find me, yes,” you confirmed. “He has been a comforting presence. He’s always been nice, that much I do remember.”

The king stared at you for a bit, longer than you were comfortable with, and you fought the urge to squirm underneath his piercing gaze. He eventually let you go, and you hurriedly brought your hand back to your side. The king’s eyes followed the movement, lip curving upwards ever so slightly.

“That is all,” he said, dismissing you.

You were swift in leaving his chambers to go down to the kitchens. The king’s behavior was a bit strange, but the man had lost a wife. Another wife, and this one had outlasted the others by at least six months. You were sure Peggy’s death affected him far greater than the others had.

The duke’s voice could be heard when you returned. You properly greeted them both as you entered the king’s receiving chamber, their conversation quieting. You could feel eyes on you as you set their food in its proper place, and when you looked up, the dark-haired man was smiling at you. You returned it, straightening as you finished.

“Will that be all, your majesty?”

The king eyed you as you looked to him, reaching for his steaming cup of tea. He brought it to his lips, eyes never leaving yours as he gazed at you from over the rim of the cup.

“That will be all,” he said as he pulled it away.

You bowed to them both and made to take your leave. You could hear the duke say something to the king before the sound of footsteps reached you. You slowed as he called your name, turning in the corridor to face him as he remained in the doorway. He always looked at you as if you had just told him the best news and such an intense gaze always brought heat to your face. It reminded you of the way Peggy looked at you.

“I will be in the gardens later,” he began as he slowly approached you. “I would very much like it if you joined me.”

You bit your lip, and you watched as he straightened, nostrils flaring.

“I have duties. The king…,” you trailed off, and he smirked.

“I can handle Steve just fine. He would not deny you a moment with me,” he said.

Feeling like you were unable to say no, and a small part of you not wanting to, you nodded. He beamed at you before going back to join the king, and you stood there for a moment. You knew that this was what Peggy wanted, you and the duke, but you felt guilty. Not on her behalf, but his. You felt as if you were using him to numb the pain of Peggy’s passing, and it was not entirely untrue.

Still, hours later, you found yourself joining him in the gardens during the late evening. His blue eyes drank you in, and you once again found yourself squirming under his gaze. You wondered what he wanted, worried that perhaps he had less than honorable intentions for you, but the duke had never been like that. He was handsome, and you would be naïve to think the man was not used to the company of a female, but he had never struck you as the type to take advantage.

You had never heard anything bad about him.

“I always remembered that you had a soft smile on your face…,” he said, his words making you frown.

He neared you, and your eyes widened a bit.

“…you always did your job well and with a smile, no matter how cruelly you were treated by whatever queen was on the throne at the time.”

Surprise filled you, a lump in your throat as you blinked.

“You…knew…”

He nodded, throwing you a sad smile.

“I did. It pained me to see them treat you so horribly. I always worried that it would darken your spirit, turn you as cruel as them, but your true nature remained. Even now…”

He reached for your hair, fixing an errant strand, and you released a shaky breath.

“…as you are weighed down with grief and confusion and loneliness, you haven’t diminished at all.”

“Your grace-.”

You cut yourself off as he gently grabbed your face, hands against your cheeks as he stared at you. His eyes met yours, the blue in them diminishing, and you found yourself unable to look away. As a comforting feeling surrounded you, a fog clouding your mind, you realized that you did not even want to. You faintly registered that his hands were cold on your face, but they were not uncomfortable, and you unconsciously leaned into them.

A slow smile spread along his lips as he leaned in.

“The queen is at peace now,” he said, his voice filling your mind, and you felt yourself nod.

“Peggy is at peace,” you heard yourself murmur, agreeing with him.

“She would not want you to be sad forever. She would want you to find peace as she had.”

“Yes,” you mumbled.

He blinked, and so did you, realizing that you had not done so in a while. Your lashes fluttered as you ran his words over in your mind, realizing the truth in them and feeling lighter than you had in days. You missed Peggy…but the hurt, that anguish was not as strong. It was hardly there at all.

You jumped when his hand found your arm, and you looked to him, almost forgetting about his presence entirely. His blue eyes sparkled, a crooked smile dancing along his pink lips.

“…better?”

You found yourself entranced by his soft and inquiring voice, nodding.

“Yes.”

He held his arm out to you, and you hesitated. You recalled his words, the truth in them, and the fact that Peggy so desperately wanted this for you, wanted you to get the life she felt you deserved. You slowly looped your hand around his arm, and he grinned at you as he drew you closer, leading you through the garden.

  


When you were not tending to your duties, you found your free time occupied by the duke. James was as kind as Peggy and tongue just as sharp. He really did lift your spirits, brightening your days and easing your heart. A small part of you wondered if he were toying with you, passing his time by entertaining the grieving servant, convinced he could never see you as anything serious. Why would he? Sure, what Peggy had felt for you had been real, but it did not mean the same would apply to the duke.

And yet, you were surprised to be sent for, told that the king requested an audience with you. That was how you found yourself in his majesty’s receiving chamber, hands at your side as you stared at him with parted lips as he spoke.

“Margaret was very adamant about securing a good match for you. Insisted upon it, and I know she thought me absent-minded, but I picked up on her desire for you to marry James quite well.”

Your heart skipped a beat, and his lips quirked, almost as if he could hear it.

“This is what she wanted for you…a last wish, if you will, and James is most pleased with my decision,” he continued.

You froze at that, finding it hard to believe.

“He…he is?”

Your voice was skeptical, you were sure, but it all seemed too good to be true. The king chuckled as he stood, nearing you with a twinkle in his eyes. He rested his hands on your shoulders, fingers rubbing into your skin through the fabric as his voice lowered.

“James has favored you for years. He always thought you sweet,” he confessed.

This was news to you, and your heart swelled, realizing that you might be marrying the kind of man Peggy wanted for you after all. You wished that she were here to see it, and as the king’s face fell, you wondered if he thought the same.

The wedding was a modest affair, but your dress was the grandest you had ever worn. James looked more than pleased as you said your vows, eyes darkening ever so slightly as he lifted the veil from over your face. The kiss he placed upon your lips was chaste, but it took him a moment to pull away, almost as if he did not want to.

His hands never strayed from you throughout the entire ceremony and celebration, fingers curling over your hands or playing with your hair. You recalled what the king had said about James’ long-lasting feelings towards you, and your face grew warm. You and your new husband had only parted once, and that was to allow you to dance with the king.

Just like James’, his hands were also cool against yours, blue eyes on you as he guided you across the floor. You glanced past him, and your gaze landed on James as he watched the two of you from across the room, lips quirked upwards. This was perhaps the closest you had ever been to the king, not counting that terrible morning in which you had found Peggy. The thought of her made your face fall just a bit, and it did not go unnoticed.

“You should smile, Y/N. It is a joyous day,” he said, and you fought to do just that. “You are the wife of a duke, now.”

“I only wish Peggy were here to witness it. That is all,” you quietly told him, and an expression flitted over his face that you could not decipher.

The king’s eyes hardened just a little bit, lips pressed together as his jaw ticked. It happened so suddenly, and in the blink of an eye, that soft gaze was back, and you started to wonder if you had imagined it. His hands tightened just a tad on yours, almost painfully so, and your brows lowered a bit as you fought back a wince.

“I am sure she would have loved it,” he told you.

Your dance with the king was short, your husband stepping in all too soon. You enjoyed James’ presence, and although you did not love him, you were sure that you would grow to. He reminded you of Peggy in some ways, yes, but there were so many characteristics that were his own, things that were all him that had you entranced.

The night came before you knew it, and you found yourself in a royal chamber in a separate wing of the castle, nerves coursing through you as one of the servants prepared you for your wedding night. If you recalled correctly, she was to be your handmaiden, now, and the thought was a strange one. It was not so long ago that you were a handmaiden yourself, and now you were the wife of a duke.

“Are you nervous, your grace?”

You blanched at the way she addressed you, and you knew that would take some getting used to.

“I am,” you honestly answered.

Although Peggy had done her best to prepare you for this night, it still made your stomach buzz, like you had swallowed bees. Not only was James a man, but he was not Peggy. He had never seen you naked, had never seen your imperfections. Suppose he did not like how you looked? How you sounded? You were feeling terribly insecure and small, and you wished Peggy were here. She would know just what to say.

Eventually, the other girl left, and you were in the large room alone. Some fruit and wine had been placed in the receiving chamber, but you could not bring yourself to taste any. You feared you would not be able to keep it down.

The white gown you wore was thin, evident that its intended purpose was not to keep you warm, but instead for stimulation. You ran your hand along the smooth material, fingering it as you absent-mindedly noted how pretty it was. You would have all sorts of pretty things for yourself now, and again, you wished Peggy were here to see your new life.

You looked up, startled at the sound of James passing through the door of the receiving chamber and entering the bedroom. You hadn’t even heard him come in at all, and you felt your face heat up as he raked his blue eyes over your scantily clad frame.

“Your grace,” you greeted before you could stop yourself.

You pressed your lips together, embarrassed as he chuckled at you.

“We are married, now, Y/N. There is no need for that,” he said, nearing you.

“Apologies. It is simply a force of…habit…”

Your words trailed off as he gripped your face, brushing his lips along yours. You sharply inhaled, tentatively kissing him back, and that was when he deepened it, moving his lips against yours so wantonly it made your head spin. You could not swallow the moan that bubbled in your throat, and you felt him smile into the kiss.

“Oh, how I’ve dreamed of this day,” he breathed, lips tasting your jaw before they traveled to your throat.

You were forced to clutch the thin white shirt that adorned him as he bent you.

“You have?” you wondered, shuddering as his teeth grazed your neck.

He hummed a confirmation.

“You were always so lovely…radiant… I thought of you often while I was away.”

You gasped at his confession, and he pressed his lips to yours again. You felt him guiding you towards the bed, and the back of your legs brushed against it. He held you to him, the cold touch of his hands making you tremble.

“If the queen had not brought up the idea to Steve, I most certainly would have,” he whispered just before your back hit the bed.

James fell over you perfectly, frame settling between your legs as he kissed you. His mouth tasted sweet, addictingly so, and you found yourself craving more of him. He groaned into your mouth as you twisted a hand into his dark locks, trying to get as close to him as possible.

Your heart sank when he abruptly pulled away, but it swelled when he lowered himself. He slid his hands up your legs, pushing the fabric of your nightdress with it, and you swallowed as the cool air hit you. Peggy had told you that the men who enjoyed doing this were far and few between, and again, you thought your match with the duke too good to be true.

All of your thoughts halted, mind going blank as he pressed his mouth against you, tongue swiping over your sensitive flesh. Your fingers pulled on his hair, and he groaned against you, making your legs tremble. His tongue did not rest once, sliding over you and pushing into you, tasting you like a man starved. His fingers were firm as they pressed into your thighs, holding them apart to accommodate him.

His lips were soft against you, and the sound of his ministrations reached your ears. He was good at what he did, wonderful even, and he threw you headfirst over the edge before you knew it. You squeezed your eyes shut as the blood rushed in your ears, chest heaving as your stomach clenched, core doing the same. It was in the middle of your high that you felt a sharp pinch on the inside of your thigh, so close to where his mouth just was. It was painful, making you wince, but the pain lasted only a moment before euphoria descended over you like water.

Your eyes flew open, wide and focused on the ceiling as indescribable pleasure coursed through you, more than you had ever known. You shook, mouth parted to allow your moans to escape, unable to hold them in. One of James’ hands was pressed against your stomach, holding you down as you had started to arch. The other had your thigh in a firm grip. Your hands slid out to twist the sheets between your fingers, and with surprise, you realized that tears had started to kiss your eyes.

“James,” you quietly chanted, surprised that you were coherent enough to mutter anything at all.

Your lashes fluttered, head spinning and heart racing. It felt like you were enveloped in the most electrifying heat, and you never wanted it to stop. Beneath it though, you could feel your energy waning, body protesting and crying out as James continued to bring pleasure to you. You gasped when he finally pulled away, and your vision spun, blinking a few times as you fought to clear it.

He was running his tongue along his lips as he faced you again, eyes the brightest you had ever seen them. The corner of his mouth was pulled up into a small smirk just before his lips met yours again. Your limbs felt heavy as you raised your arms to wrap around him, but he did not seem to mind. You pressed your face into the crook of his neck, humming as he was more than happy to undress you both.

Your mind was so hazy that you felt no sense of embarrassment or insecurity as he drank you in. His eyes greedily took in the sight of your naked body, and you trembled beneath him, more so when he brushed a cool finger down your side. He leaned down again to kiss you, softly now, and you sighed into his mouth.

“You are beautiful,” he told you, conviction coating his tone. “…and you are finally mine.”

He was gentle as he took you, but no amount of advice from Peggy could have truly prepared you for the pain. James was not only skilled in bed, but patient as well, pressing soft kisses to your face as he waited for you to grow used to the feel of him inside of you.

He seemed to welcome the feel of your nails pressing into his skin, trailing over his arms and back as he swallowed every one of your gasps and moans and whimpers. A shudder wracked your frame every time his hips connected with yours, pressing into you so fiercely that the bed shook beneath you. The very smell of him seemed to intoxicate you, and you fought to keep his chest pressed against yours, your lips trailing over his jaw.

Even with Peggy, you had never been so shameless, begging, but this was a new experience for you. It was your wedding night with your husband, and he was playing your body so well. You had never felt so full before, a foreign feeling that seemed to evoke both pain and pleasure from you somehow. When you felt yourself clenching around him for the third time that night, you squeezed your eyes shut at a pinch in your neck.

It was gone as quickly as it had come, and James’ lips at your throat threw you into another climax. Your back curved, chest arching upwards against his as your entire body seemed to vibrate in his arms. Your legs spasmed and your toes curled, eyes rolling into the back of your head as you lazily held him to you. You felt yourself collapse in his hold, and you welcomed the darkness that reached for you.

  


“You miss her terribly,” James murmured as he lazily dragged his fingers along your back.

It was not a question, but a simple observation, one that you could not refute. You sighed, propping your chin up on his chest as you gazed at him. His blue eyes held no negativity, and you knew he was simply curious.

“I do,” you confirmed. “She was my best friend.”

Of course, you could never admit that she was more than that, but you did not lie. Peggy had been your best friend as well. You knew that she would be happy for you, happy to see you stepping into the life she wanted for you.

“Far nicer than the rest, I take it.”

He was referring to the king’s other wives, and you nodded.

“Very much so. From the first moment we met. The others… Well, I would rather not speak ill of the dead,” you said.

He chuckled.

“They thought you to be after the king.”

You already knew this to be true, and you sighed, turning in his arms until you were leaning against his side with your head on his chest.

“Yes, I am sure. Although, I have yet to understand why…even after all these years. I never gave even one of them reason to think so.”

“They never needed a reason, doll. You are an attractive woman in the company of an equally attractive king,” he laughed.

“The king is what he is, yes, but as Peggy would say, he has never been my type…”

There was a beat of silence.

“…no?”

You looked up at him with a small smile.

“I have always been fond of dark hair,” you told him, and he grinned, his teeth winking at you.

You sighed, closing your eyes to listen to the beat of his heart…but you did not hear it. You frowned at that, but before you could stew on it further, he moved to leave the bed. You and James had been confined to his chambers for days, simply basking in one another and becoming familiar with each other’s bodies.

“Join me for a bath?”

He did not have to ask you twice and soon you found yourself sitting in the steaming water with him at your back. His nose and lips were pressed to your neck, making you shudder. You had quickly found that James loved your neck. He was always kissing it or touching it in some way.

“I cannot wait to take you to see the world,” he whispered. “So many wonderful places that would look far more wonderful with you in them.”

He enjoyed whispering such things to you, and you knew that he was telling the truth, none of it empty promises. Your bath eventually came to an end, and days later, so did your honeymoon of sorts. You found you had much more free time on your hands now while James spent his days with Steve when he was not with you.

The king insisted that you refer to him by name, and despite how uncomfortable you felt in doing so, not being used to it, you humored him. You started to see more of him than you had in all the years you had been at the castle. He joined the two of you to eat often and could be found in James’ receiving chamber, sometimes with James nowhere to be found as he seemingly waited for your husband.

His eyes were always on you then, attempting to draw you into conversation. You were only uncomfortable with the unfamiliarity of it, and you wrote off his ever-watchful gaze to worry. He was probably concerned with how you were holding up, how you were adjusting. Steve was the kindest man you had ever known, so this seemed the most likely reason.

The second time you had ever seen the king look anything less than pleasant was almost two weeks after your wedding. You were making your way down the corridor, preparing to retire, when you noticed that the door of James’ receiving chamber was wide open, harsh voices escaping. They lowered the closer you got and had quieted altogether the minute you stepped into the doorway.

James’ back was to you, but he straightened, shoulders tense as if he knew you were there. Steve’s blue eyes were the darkest you had ever seen them, brows drawn together as he glared at your husband. His face softened a bit when his eyes finally met yours, but the anger was still there, evident in the way his jaw clenched.

“Your majesty,” you eventually greeted when you finally collected yourself.

He smirked as he approached you, and you watched as James looked over his shoulder at the both of you, eyes narrowed.

“How many times must I tell you to call me Steve, Y/N?”

Embarrassment filled you, face heating up, and Steve sharply inhaled.

“Probably at least once more. My apologies, Steve.”

He quickly ran his eyes over you before looking at your husband.

“James,” he said in parting, before doing the same to you. “Duchess Barnes.”

He brushed past you without another word, and James finally faced you when the door clicked shut.

“Is everything alright?” you asked him.

He threw you a smile as he approached you, pulling you into his arms.

“Of course,” he replied, pressing a kiss to your cheek.

But even days later, it was clear that everything was not alright. Days had gone by, and James had barely looked at you, only absentmindedly brushing his lips over your cheek or forehead in greeting or before you retired for bed. Before you knew it, an entire week had gone by and he had not even touched you. Had the fire gone out as quickly as it started? Was your marriage already dying before it truly even lived?

No.

You knew this was not true. You could see the way James’ eyes lit up whenever you were near. Despite your marriage bed growing cold already, James tightly held you to him at night, face buried into the crook of your neck as he breathed you in. You could feel him hard and poking against you when you awoke in the morning, and as light as his touch was now, it always lingered as if he did not want to pull away.

Fed up one night after lying in bed alone for the better part of an hour, you finally rose to join him in his receiving chamber. He was seated in one of the plush chairs, nursing what looked to be a dark red wine in his glass. He grimaced as he took another sip and angrily slammed it down, face pinched in disgust. You jumped at the aggressive action, heart skipping a beat, and you watched as he tensed.

“I thought you were asleep,” he said.

You approached him, sliding your hands over his shoulder and down his chest. He heaved a sigh as you did so, reaching up to cover your hands with his own. He turned his face to your arm, nose brushing along the skin.

“It is late. Come to bed…”

It was a statement, but your tone was pleading. You missed him.

“I will in a bit,” he murmured.

“James, what is wrong?” you finally asked. “I know that something troubles you. I am here, and you can tell me…”

He wrapped his fingers around your wrist, pressing his lips and nose into the skin as he inhaled.

“You smell…divine,” he breathed as you ran your free hand through his hair, playing with the dark strands.

It was as if he hadn’t even heard you, and you frowned.

“James…”

“You always smell…so good,” he groaned, teeth grazing the inside of your wrist.

You went to pull your arm away, but his grip was firm, and you winced at the sharp pinch you felt. Heat immediately coursed through you, and a moan threatened to climb out of your throat…until you looked down and saw what he was doing. Horror tore through you at the sight of James’ mouth pressed to your skin, a few drops of your blood escaping his pink lips.

He only pulled away when you screamed, a bloodcurdling sound that he was quick to hush. He hurriedly stood and turned to face you, pressing a hand over your mouth as he struggled to quiet you. You screamed into his hand as he wrapped his other arm around you, holding you to him as he pushed you back. You struggled in his hold as he shushed you, what was meant to be soothing you were sure, but the sight of James drinking your blood was burned into your brain.

Even now, his lips were stained red.

“Y/N, please-.”

He cut himself off as your struggle increased, taking you both down. The table and a nearby chair came down with you, and the sound of shattering glass filled the room. Tears blurred your vision as James fought to restrain and calm you without hurting you. One of your arms slipped free in the tussle, and you ran your hand along the floor until your fingers touched a piece of glass.

“Sweetheart-.”

James swallowed his words when you dug a broken shard into the juncture of his neck and shoulder. You had not meant to stab him there as you only wanted him off of you, but you could not dwell on it as he cursed, releasing you in his surprise. You scrambled to your feet, James’ fingers tearing the end of your dress as he reached for you.

The corridor was dark as you ran down it, the cool night air chilling you. If anyone were to see you outside of your chambers so scantily dressed, there is no telling what they would think, but that was not a concern of yours. Your mind fought to understand what it had seen, and you were not even sure of where you were going, what you would say should you finally run into someone.

Fortunately for you, you ran into the one person who could help you. You yelped as you turned the corner and fell face first into someone’s chest. Cool hands steadied you as a shocked yelp escaped your lips, and your hands twisted into his shirt as you looked to him. The king’s soft blue gaze met yours and relief filled you.

“Y-your majesty,” you breathed, throat tight as you struggled to verbalize what had happened. “James…he…”

You were unsure of what to say. How could you explain it? How would he even begin to believe you?

“We must go,” you told him, attempting to move him, but his hold was firm.

He gazed down at you as if he hadn’t heard you, head tilting to the side as the sound of approaching footsteps echoed off of the walls. Fear gripped you, and you shook, attempting to move behind the king. Steve allowed you to do so, but one hand was tightly wrapped around your wrist, preventing you from leaving.

“What is the meaning of this, James?”

The king did not sound upset, instead his tone was light, teasing even, and something twisted in your gut.

“I have never known you the type to play with your food…”

You froze, looking to the king with wide eyes as his words registered in your mind. Your heart raced in your chest, and you heard Steve hum, grip tightening. You winced, fresh tears collecting as a horrible thought started to make more and more sense. You pulled against his grip, but he simply tightened it.

“I wasn’t,” you heard James say, his features becoming visible moments later. “She got away from me…”

Your eyes were wide as James stood before you, looking as unscathed as ever, save for the blood on his shirt.

“Away from _you_? I dare say you are losing your touch,” Steve chuckled.

A choked sob escaped you, and you pulled against his grip more harshly now. James sighed as he looked at you, concern coloring his gaze.

“Y/N, stop before you hurt yourself,” he warned.

You screamed when Steve harshly spun you, pressing your back to his chest with a hand around your throat. The other still had your wrist in an iron grip, and you shook in his hold, tears escaping now.

“Steve,” James cautioned. “Be careful with her. You know I’m rather fond of her…”

“How could I possibly forget?” the king scoffed, forcing you to move as he neared James. “She is all you have ever talked about.”

James brushed his thumb along your wet cheek before turning and making his way back to your chambers. Steve followed, forcing you along with him, and the only sound that could be heard in the dark corridor was that of your harsh sobs. Your chest heaved as you stumbled along, fresh tears falling when Steve pressed his face into your hair, deeply inhaling.

“What is it about you, hmm?” he wondered, lips brushing against your ear now, making you flinch. “What is _oh_ so fascinating about you?”

He spat the question out, fury coating his words, and your fear increased. He shoved you away from him as soon as you were inside of the receiving chamber, and you stumbled away from them both as Steve shut and locked the door. Your eyes darted between them, unsure of who to keep your eye on as you moved back.

You winced when you stepped on the glass that littered the floor, and you heard them both inhale at the same time. Your back harshly met the wall when James took a step towards you, hand outstretched. His eyes were soft and pleading, and in that moment, he looked like your James, but you could still see faint traces of your blood on his lips, and you shied away.

“Y-you bit me!”

“Sweetheart-.”

“I saw you,” you cried. “I _felt_ you.”

His shoulders sagged in defeat.

“Yes,” he eventually admitted, taking slow steps towards you as if you would run any moment. “I did.”

Steve was behind him, a harsh look on his face that you had never seen before. He did not look like the kind king you knew, at all, and you did not want to be anywhere near him.

“…but I have done so before.”

Your eyes snapped towards James at that, a slight frown taking over. He nodded at the unsure look on your face, taking another step towards you.

“Yes. I have. On our wedding night, twice, and many times since.”

When you wracked your brain, you were horrified to realize that he was telling the truth. You could recall the brief moments of pain, but the pleasure that descended over you immediately after always clouded your mind. You had never thought to dwell on it, and even if you had, how could you possibly ever guess the truth?

“You bit me…before…,” you slowly said, accepting the truth in this.

“I did, but I never hurt you,” he rushed to say, cold fingers touching your arm.

You jerked away as you glared at him.

“…but you did tonight!”

Steve moved to approach you, and you pushed yourself further into the wall at this. James snapped his head towards him, an inhuman sound rumbling deep in his chest, but when he faced you again, his face was as soft as ever.

“I know. I did, and for that I am sorry. I am so sorry,” he whispered, slowly taking you into his arms. “I lost control…”

His hold tightened as he pulled you against him, and you could not take your eyes off of Steve whose own had grown increasingly darker by the minute. James turned your face towards him, brushing his lips over yours.

“I am the same man. I am still the man you married,” he told you, and in your heart, you knew this was true.

You could not help but to eye Steve though, watching the way the man gradually came closer. You recalled his harsh tone towards you, the way he had gripped your neck, and you shuddered.

“Steve…”

“Steve will not hurt you,” James was quick to say.

You were not convinced, not by James’ tone and especially not by the way Steve drank you in, eyes glinting at you, making you think that he very much wanted to hurt you. James made you face him again, pressing his lips to yours, and your mouth trembled. He fell onto the couch, pulling you into his lap, and you gasped into his mouth.

His teeth nicked the skin of your lips, your blood falling onto his tongue, and before you could pull away, he deepened the kiss, completely covering your lips with his own. Your eyes rolled as he drank from you, heat coursing through you, and you had forgotten about Steve entirely.

Until you felt a hand grab your arm, another pair of lips on your wrist.

Your back arched as his teeth pierced your skin, mind going blank as you fought to make sense of what was going on. James eventually pulled away, running his tongue over his top lip, bright eyes gazing down at you as your lashes fluttered. You heard Steve groan, his grip tightening, and the pleasure quickly morphed to pain.

You cried out, hitting against him, but he jerked you. You reached for James as you felt yourself being pulled, and the world spun before you found yourself on the floor, Steve’s hand at your throat, lips stained red with your blood. His chest was heaving, eyes hard and teeth barred as he glared down at you.

“Steve,” James drawled out the warning, not sounding the least bit worried for your safety.

You did not know if that was a good thing or not.

“I am not going to hurt her, James. My curiosity is simply piqued,” he breathed.

You struggled against him, but he tightened his grip, and you gasped in pain.

“What is it about you that confounds them so?” he wondered, head cocked to the side.

“You sound envious, Stevie,” James chuckled.

Steve’s eyes narrowed as he leaned in.

“Perhaps, I am. Oh, you should have seen the way she had Margaret wrapped around her little finger…”

Your eyes widened at his mention of Peggy, and your struggle was anew.

“I am ashamed to admit that it took me so long to realize what was going on. That’s why the others never lasted six months, you see,” he said, speaking to you now. “How absolutely enamored they were with me, so much so that they hated you for simply breathing my air…”

Your heart stuttered as you realized what he was admitting, and more tears fell.

“They grew positively sick with jealousy, wondering where I ran off to, whose scent clung to my skin. They constantly overstepped, and I was always more than happy to show them their true purpose. I took _great_ pleasure in shattering whatever ill-conceived idea they had of me.”

His nose brushed against yours.

“…I enjoyed the way their eyes would widen as they realized I was not at all who they thought I was…but Margaret was different…”

Anger coursed through you, jaw clenching as you registered that Peggy was _murdered_ , and by the man who had vowed to love her. The man who had everyone fooled. Steve’s lip curled over his teeth as he ran his eyes over you.

“She simply took her affections elsewhere. She never questioned where I went, pined after me, or nagged me for attention. Why would she…when she had _you_?” he sounded angry. “The way she stayed out of my path is the only reason she lasted as long as she did.”

“Did you ever love her?” you finally spat out through clenched teeth, disgust churning your stomach.

“ _No_ ,” Steve sneered. “…but just as she was your favorite amongst them, she was mine as well.”

Your face faltered at the brief look of uncertainty that passed over his features, and if you did not know any better, you would say it was regret.

“I took no pleasure in killing her.”

“Then why did you?” you screamed, chest tightening as you held in a sob.

Steve straightened a bit, looking down his nose at you as he brushed his thumb over your chin. You jerked your face away at the action, and a sound of displeasure escaped him.

“…because I wanted to know what was so special about darling Y/N,” he coldly sang, nostrils flaring as he said your name like it was the most vile thing in the world.

You pleadingly looked past him to rest your eyes on James, but he simply leaned against the back of the couch as he watched you two. Again, he did not look concerned for your safety, and you did not know how to take that. Did that mean he did not think Steve capable of hurting you? Or was it all a lie…and he simply never cared for you at all?

“It wasn’t enough that a mere human such as yourself had my best friend twisted into knots for years, but you managed to entrance my wife as well. I thought to myself, surely I am missing out…”

“No,” you choked out as you started to understand what he meant.

You heard James loudly sigh.

“You are always so rough with your playthings, Steve. Do well to remember that Y/N is _my_ wife, _mine_ ,” James told him, tone possessive.

A smirk danced along Steve’s lips before he looked over his shoulder.

“…and who made it so? I am _your_ king.”

“And I am _your_ maker,” James threw back with a smirk of his own.

Steve laughed to himself, finding genuine humor in this situation before facing you again.

“Perhaps we can share her,” Steve hummed, his words almost forcing you to be sick.

He straddled you the minute your struggle increased, and you could feel him through his trousers, hard and hot. You briefly squeezed your eyes shut, more tears escaping, wanting him off of you.

“James…,” you quietly begged, but he spoke as if he had not heard you.

“Come now, Steve. When have you ever been known to share? Never mind that, but when have you ever been known to enjoy the company of a human for an extended period of time _without_ killing them?” he scoffed. “Y/N means a great deal to me, and she means nothing to you.”

“Perhaps, she could…”

He looked over his shoulder again, and James’s smirk grew as their eyes met, a light chuckle leaving his lips. You hated the way they spoke about you as if you were not here. James’ eyes met yours, and they softened, a fond smile on his pink lips as he looked over your trembling form.

“If there is a chance that she can tame you as she has tamed me, then I will take it.”

Your eyes widened as you frantically looked between them.

“You will not hurt her, Steve. I won’t allow it,” he said, voice suddenly serious and leaving no room for arguments.

You sharply inhaled when Steve let you go, sitting back enough to allow you to scurry away from him. Your back hit the wall, heart threatening to leap from your chest as you looked to James and then Steve and back. Your eyes fell on Steve again when he spoke.

“Go on,” he quietly encouraged, jerking his head towards the door. “Run.”

There was a dangerous glint in his eye as he said this, and you swallowed, brows furrowing as you wondered if he was serious or not. James let out a laugh, and you watched as he crossed his arms over his chest, shaking his head as an amused smile fell over his lips.

“Still the same as you ever were…”

“Come now, James,” Steve said, forcing your eyes back to him. “You have had your turn, several of them, and now it is mine.”

He slowly stood, towering over you as he looked down his nose at you. A blond strand of hair kissed his forehead, and you watched as he reached up to undo the top of his shirt.

“We both know I _am_ the type to play with my food,” he purred, taking a step back as he jerked his head towards the door again. “Run. You may be able to escape me yet.”

You looked at James again whose eyes were already on you.

“If I were you, I would do as he says,” he told you.

You did not hesitate a moment longer, standing on shaky legs and sprinting out of the room. You immediately went left, determined to make your way to the castle entrance. As you descended the first flight of stairs, the moonlight shone through the windows, lighting your path. The castle was cold and quiet, the only sound that could be heard was that of your feet pounding against the stones.

They hurt, and you recalled the glass you had stepped on, and there was no doubt in your mind that the bottom of them were littered in cuts. Your heart was beating the fastest it had ever beat, threatening to leap from your throat at any second. Now that you were away from them, your mind was clear enough to come to one conclusion.

 _Vampire_.

Peggy had told you many tales of make believe and folklore, some she had heard from people in her own region, some from the journey here. She would tell them to you in the dead of night when Steve had yet to return, hands gripping hers as you fought off the fear her stories evoked in you. There was always a few about a creature who walked the night, feeding on the living to survive. Such a thing had seemed blasphemous to you, absolutely horrifying, and you had never wanted to hear anything more about it.

Peggy could always sense that you were scared, and she would wrap you in her arms, soothing words leaving her lips as she attempted to quell your fears. She would swear to you that none of it was real and that you had nothing to be afraid of.

If only she knew.

You made to go down the next flight of stairs when you heard footsteps ascending it. Heart dropping to your stomach, you turned and ran the other way. This corridor was just as dark as all the others, no moonlight to shine your path. A scream climbed out of your throat when a firm hand pushed you to the side. You flew through an open door into an unused bedroom, your back harshly hitting the opposite wall as teeth sank into your throat.

This was not like all the other times James had bit you. No, pain reverberated throughout your entire form as you were pinned between the wall and an equally hard body. You pushed against his chest, but he roughly gripped your hand and pinned it to the wall before doing the same with the other. He groaned into your skin, and you could feel blood staining your skin and nightdress.

He only pulled away when you started to slump down the wall, drawing you closer as he wrapped his arms around you. Despite your waning energy, you still possessed enough strength to fight against him, but you faltered when you were harshly pinned to the bed. The window in the room allowed for little moonlight to peak through, but even without the pale light glinting off of the blond hair, you knew it was the king.

Another figure filled the doorway, and you turned to James with tears in your eyes, begging him to do something, anything to stop this. Steve seemed displeased with this, and he hissed, grabbing your chin and forcing your face back towards him before his lips descended over your own. Your efforts were weak and futile as the sound of tearing fabric filled the room, and Steve’s hands ran along the inside of your thighs. He parted them and wasted no time before pushing his length into your unwilling core.

A choking sound left you as he stretched you around him, and Steve released a shaky breath of his own as he basked in the feel of you. He wasn’t as long as James, but he was thicker, and your body protested the unfamiliar intrusion. His thrusts were slow at first, torture even as he forced you to feel every curve and ridge of him. He pulled back until only the tip of him remained before swiftly pushing forward until his hips met yours.

You could hear James fully enter the room as Steve fell over you, completely pinning you beneath him as you clawed at his shirt. The door clicked as it was shut, and a defeated sob left you as you heard him lock it. You pushed against Steve’s chest, but he paid your struggle no mind, low moans leaving him as he repeatedly curved his hips into yours.

He pressed his lips to your skin again, licking at the blood he had left behind before biting into your neck for a second time. Against your will, your body snapped, spasming around him as you clenched on his length. That familiar feeling of euphoria descended over you, and you had not even realized you had become a moaning mess until James commented on it.

“She sings so prettily, doesn’t she?”

His voice startled you, having forgotten he was there, and Steve hummed in agreement, movements not faltering. As you came down from your high, you shrank in on yourself, pushing your hand against Steve’s stomach, much too sensitive for his assault. You flinched when James reached to grab your hands, pulling them above your head and holding them against the bed.

“Let Steve see you, my love. Let him see how beautiful you are when you are being fucked so well,” he purred, brushing his lips over your face.

You gasped, back arching when Steve wrapped his mouth around your breast, buds hardened from the cool air and his ministrations. With James holding your hands, Steve’s were now free to do as he pleased, and he ran one down your leg to hook it over his waist while the other pushed underneath you, fingers dancing along your spine. You felt a pinch on your chest, and you released a pained whimper while Steve drank his fill.

You could feel another climax approaching, and you squeezed your eyes shut, trying to fight it off, but James’ nose brushed along your neck, teeth grazing the skin before he joined Steve. You came around Steve again as James drank from you, one of his hands letting you go to travel down your body. It covered your other breast, fingers rolling and playing with your bud.

Steve eventually pulled away, lips stained red and eyes practically glowing. He pressed his mouth to yours, and you could taste yourself on him, feeling like metal on your tongue. He pulled back, tongue darting out to taste your lips just as he stilled against you. You could feel him twitch inside of you, a long hum escaping his throat before he slowly pulled out of you.

You winced at the feel, turning over onto your side, but James tsk’d. Hands still on your wrists, he pulled you towards him as he joined you on the bed. You could hear Steve’s clothes hitting the floor as he fully undressed now, and you shakily exhaled. James pushed you onto your stomach, your resistance no match for him as he held you down, a hand pressed into your back as he straddled you. You felt him brush his fingers over your neck, a sigh reaching your ears a moment later.

“Steve,” he admonished.

“Apologies,” but he did not sound apologetic in the slightest.

If anything, the king sounded rather pleased with himself for the mess he’d made out of your neck. His eyes were focused entirely on you when you glanced up, and your stomach churned as you recalled the feel of his teeth in you, his cock in you, the way he had taken you so forcefully. So focused on Steve, you did not register James’ movements until he was sliding into you.

So accustomed to the feel of your husband, you could not swallow down the moan that crawled out of your mouth. James fisted his hand into your hair, lightly tugging at the root, and you whimpered as his familiar member began to thrust into you.

“Was Steve too harsh with you, sweetheart?”

You wanted to answer, but all that escaped you was a breathy moan. Steve’s eyes were filled with a carnal hunger as he watched the way James moved against you, and you wanted to move away when he neared, but James was holding you down. Steve was completely bare, alabaster perfection as he stopped before you, and you hated how perfect he was. It did not match the devil within him, and as if he could hear your thoughts, a smirk danced along his bloodstained lips.

He reached out to brush his thumb along your own mouth, dipping the finger inside before smearing your saliva over your lips. James bent his head to kiss your cheek, a hum escaping him as you whimpered at a particularly hard thrust.

“We shall have to show Steve how to properly touch you,” he whispered, lips brushing your ear.

Steve’s smirk grew at that, eyes darkening while yours briefly closed, understanding dawning on you at James’ words.

“You hear that, Y/N?” Steve mockingly purred, fear gripping you. “We are going to be one big happy family.”


	2. Twice Burned

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNINGS: NON-CON, DUB-CON, vampire!Stucky, violence, toxic relationships, attempted suicide, murder, animal cruelty, bloodplay

It was early in the morning, the sun yet to peek over the horizon, when you felt cool familiar hands kneading at your hip. The searching fingers must have been what pulled you from sleep, goosebumps breaking out over your naked flesh at the feel. A broad chest was pressed into your back, another beneath your head, your lashes fluttering against the skin as sleep escaped you.

The wood in the fireplace still burned, casting a low glow over the otherwise dark room. The fire was purely for you, to keep you warm as you lounged between two cool individuals, but despite the lack of warmth in their skin, you could hardly recall a time where you were not burning up from their touch. The hand on your waist tightened, and your eyes flew open when sharp teeth grazed your neck, a groan of protest leaving you. 

The man behind you tsk’d, and the hand on your waist was suddenly on your neck, holding you still.

“There will be none of that,” he warned, lips brushing your ear now.

You closed your eyes in defeat and forced yourself to ignore the fatigue that wracked your frame. Courtesy of the men on either side of you, sleep did not find you until the early hours of the morning. In truth, only a few hours ago, and all you wanted at the moment was to rest, but Steve had other ideas.

Steve always had other ideas.

“Please-.”

You cut yourself off with a small gasp, lashes fluttering as Steve’s teeth sank into your neck, one hand in your hair while the other reached between you. His fingers poked at you, brushing over you until you were squirming in his hold, soft mewls escaping your lips. Your blood would stain the sheets, it always did, and you often wondered what they told the maids. So wrapped up in the euphoria that Steve’s hunger brought on, you did not take note of his leg lifting yours until he was already inside of you, the sound of slapping skin causing James to stir.

Your mouth was parted, broken moans escaping you as Steve thrust into you. Your scalp burned from the hold he had on your hair, his other hand palming your breast while he laved at your neck, tongue collecting every drop he had spilled. By now, James was completely awake, and he had turned to face you, fingers brushing over your lips with a low hum. He kissed you, inhaling whatever air you let out while his fingers trailed down your stomach, finding a place between your legs, fingers pressing into you, circling over you until you came around Steve with a soft cry.

Your fingers pressed into James’ shoulder as Steve chased his own climax, not faltering once. He grunted behind you, and James moaned into your mouth, eager to be in Steve’s place, and the minute that Steve spilled inside of you, he was. Hands pressing into your waist, he pulled you onto him, head thrown back as you sank onto him. His arms encircled you, holding you to him as he lifted his hips, thrusting up into you. You wrapped your arms around him, eyes falling close at the way he made love to you, lips brushing your collarbone with every thrust, tasting the sweat on your skin.

You felt yourself climbing again, breath hitching, and it was then that you forgot about the other man in the room. Steve hated to be ignored. You knew this, and despite the fact that you had three years to get accustomed to the true nature of the blond king, you always seemed to forget whenever James had his hands on you. 

And forgetting never bode well for you.

A pained gasp escaped you when your head was jerked back, fingers twisting into your hair so tightly, it was a wonder none of the strands popped. You reached back to press your hand over Steve’s face, trying to push him away, but he refused to relent. The pain from his hold coupled with the pleasure that James was giving you made your heart lurch.

Your other hand reached back towards Steve, but losing patience, he let you go to grip both of your wrists, teeth finding your neck once again. The action forced another climax out of you, clenching around James with a loud moan, face pointed towards the ceiling. Steve groaned into your neck, blood crawling down your chest that James was more than eager to taste. His teeth nipped at you, and that was all the warning you had before they sank into your heaving breast.

The room spun, and your limbs grew light, and you felt like you were floating. You felt James pull away, but Steve remained, moaning at the taste of your blood on his tongue. You wanted to reach behind you or even reach for James, but you could hardly move your arms.

“Steve...Steve…”

He paid James no mind as dots filled your vision, and he finally let you go just as James cursed. The dark-haired man caught you as you collapsed, a sigh escaping him as you struggled to keep your eyes open.

“For fuck’s sake, Steve.”

“She’s fine,” he panted, and you felt James lay you down.

His fingers brushed over your cheek as he pulled the duvet over you, lips finding your forehead just as you were pulled into the same unconsciousness you had so violently been ripped away from.

  


The next time you awoke, you felt as if you had been sleeping for an entire day. Your limbs felt heavy, and your head pounded. The room was empty when you sat up, and you held the sheet to you as you pushed yourself into a sitting position. You reached up to brush your fingers over your neck, wincing a bit just as the doors opened.

James strode in, looking as immaculate as ever, a cup of tea in his hands. He threw you a loving smile, and you struggled to return it. He made himself comfortable on the edge of the bed, and your hands shook as you reached for it. He made a noise of protest, holding the cup to your lips, and the heat that traveled down your throat made you wince.

“I would not have to ingest such things to get my strength back if Steve did not behave like such a brute,” you finally said.

Your voice was low, but James heard you all the same. He heaved a sigh, setting the tea aside before helping you stand.

“I will talk with him.”

“Again?” you questioned, eyes searching his.

He looked away from you, and your jaw clenched.

“How many talks have the two of you had in the past three years, James? How many more must you have?”

He did not respond, merely leading you into the bathroom, and you realized that your bath water must have been prepared while you were out. Some steam still filled the air, and you allowed James to help you into the water. You leaned your head back with a sigh, aching body welcoming the heat.

“I am merely a toy to him, James,” you eventually said after some time. “My life means nothing to him-.”

“That is not true.”

“It is,” you argued. “He will kill me one day...and you will let him.”

James moved to his knees, eyes meeting your tearful ones as you stared at him. There was a slight frown on his face as he took you in, taking note of the exhaustion on your features no doubt. The past few years had been hard on you, both physically and mentally, and you knew they would be. Ever since that horrible night in which you had discovered the truth about both the king and your husband, you knew that your life would never be the same.

But you loved James...so much.

You loved him more than you had ever loved anyone, even Peggy, so you told yourself that it would be worth it. Despite how much you detested Steve, despite how much he terrified you, despite how much you could barely stomach the sight of him sometimes...he was a part of James’ life. James was his maker, and Steve would always be around, so you told yourself that you could handle Steve. Your love for James, and the love he had for you, would make everything seem so insignificant in comparison. 

But now you were not so sure anymore.

Steve was far crueler than you could have ever imagined. His disregard for human life shook you to your core, and you knew that if it were not for your husband, Steve would have probably killed you a long time ago. Funnily enough, you did not believe it would be purposely done. No, Steve was more likely to drain you dry as he fucked you into the sheets, thrusting into your still body until he was spent.

“He won’t,” James murmured. “I know he can be a bit rough sometimes…”

“... _a bit?_ ”

“...but you mean something to him. I am sure of it.”

“Are you…? Or is that your wishful thinking, your desires talking? Your desire that he may care for me as you do?”

James did not deny your words, and you looked down.

“He barely tolerates me...and I him.”

“Y/N-.”

“We will never be what you want us to be, James. Even if I wanted what you wanted, even just for the sake of never having to fear for my life anymore, I do not think that I can ever bring myself to…”

Your gaze was focused on the water, and you felt James’ hand on your shoulder. Even though years had passed, Peggy’s absence still left a hole in your life, especially since her death was so senseless. Purely the work of a jealous and hateful man.

“He killed her, James. I do not think I can ever forgive him for that,” you whispered.

He simply heaved a sigh, pulling himself to his feet. He looked down at you, and you looked up at him, eyes pleading. For what, you did not know anymore.

“Guinevere has prepared breakfast for you whenever you are ready.”

That was all he had to say, and your heart sank. You looked away as he left you, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill over. You reluctantly began to bathe and remind yourself of every reason why you loved James. It had become a habit, a ritual of sorts within the past year. A ritual that was harder and harder to keep with every new day.

  


“They want me to marry again,” Steve murmured as he stared out of the window, hands folded behind his back.

He did not sound pleased, and James hummed.

“Will you? This will be the what, 11th wife? 11th wife and still no heir? You’ve done well to keep people’s suspicions at bay, but for how long?”

Steve hummed at James’ words, and you kept your attention onto the book in your lap.

“What do you suggest I do? Steal a baby and compel the wife to think it’s hers?”

Steve chuckled at his own idea, but you got the feeling that he was entirely serious.

“Y/N? What do you think?”

You looked up at the sound of your name, eyes meeting James’ before they eventually traveled to Steve. He slowly turned to face you, eyebrow raised as he waited to hear what you would say. Your nails pressed into the pages of your book, swallowing down a sigh as James threw you into this conversation. He was always doing this, always trying to force you and Steve to interact when you did not have to. You both loved and hated him for it.

“I see no reason to object to another wife,” you eventually said. “Provided this one lasts…”

Steve’s face darkened, and he walked towards you.

“Quite the comedian you’ve become,” he sneered.

You rolled your eyes.

“I meant what I said. People already whisper about the tragedy that seems to follow whoever you marry,” you told him, eyes falling to your book again. “Another wife in the ground will only make things worse.”

“It’s inevitable,” Steve argued, making your stomach churn. “...but surely you know that. Your eagerness for such a thing is rather odd, I must say.”

Your eyes remained on the pages before you. 

“...Or perhaps you think I will leave you alone with another around to distract me,” he murmured.

“Well, I cannot imagine any woman would be happy with her husband sharing his affections with his best friend’s wife.”

“I do whatever I please,” he spat. “You of all people should know that by now.”

You slammed your book shut, and James exhaled. You ignored Steve’s gaze as you stood and approached your husband, the heat of it making your fingers tremble.

“I shall be outside in the garden,” you told James, kissing his cheek. “I crave a bit of fresh air all of a sudden.”

You paid Steve no mind as you left the receiving chamber, pressing your back to the door, taking a deep breath. You could hear James’ exasperated tone on the other side, and you pushed away before hearing what Steve had to say. Your eyes grew misty as you strutted down the corridor, eager to be as far away from the king as possible. You were unsure of how much more you could take. 

When you were with James, you were in heaven, but where there was James, there was also Steve. For you, they came as a pair, and you were beginning to think that it was not worth it, after all. James’ soothing words could no longer quell the sting of Steve’s teeth. His soft touch was no longer enough to overpower Steve’s malicious one. It just wasn’t enough. As you stood in the middle of the garden, surrounded by the strong smell of roses, a terrifying thought made itself known. A thought that you had been running from for a while, afraid to accept the truth in it.

Your love for James was no longer enough.

And that broke your heart...because where did you go from here?

Your thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps drawing near. They were heavy and hurried, and you slowly turned, eyes widening at the sight of Steve nearing you. He did not appear to be slowing down anytime soon, and you stumbled back, fingers gripping the skirts of your dress. He practically knocked you over as he stepped to you, and if it was not for his hand around your throat, you would have met the ground.

“You would think that after three years, that ice around you would thaw, but no. You are as frigid as ever,” he spat.

Your fingers clawed at his hand, mouth parted as you gasped for breath.

“Believe me...I see what he sees in you. Oh, I get it,” he purred, blue eyes venomous and heated all at once. “...but unlike James, I do not have the patience for your mouth, for your behavior, for _you_.”

“Steve,” you choked out, nails dragging along his skin, but he simply shook you, tightening his hold.

His nose brushed yours as he panted, face taut as he glared at you.

“You are mine just as you are his,” he hissed, lips brushing against yours. “It is time you got over yourself and accepted that.”

He let you go with such force that you fell to your back, coughing and gasping for air. Your hand clutched your throat, and by the time you righted yourself, Steve was walking away, the wind ruffling his fair hair. Your eyes fell to the ground beneath you, chest tightening as you held in a sob.

  


The days that followed were tense, tenser than usual, and you knew that it was noticeable. James may not have voiced an opinion on it, but you knew that he knew something happened between you and Steve. It was not the first time, you and Steve regularly getting into spats, but it was the first time he had put his hands on you when James was not around. It unnerved you, and you went out of your way to avoid the man whenever possible.

You wish you had known then that that was the worst thing you could have ever done.

“L-leaving? Where?” you demanded, eyes wide and frightful as you studied James’ face.

His face was sullen, like this was the last thing he wanted to do, and he cupped your face.

“There is some business that needs to be handled in the neighboring kingdom-.”

“No,” you breathed.

“I am Steve’s most trusted man. I will be handling it,” he told you.

You shook your head.

“I’ll only be gone for a few days, a week at the most...and I think it will be good for you...and Steve.”

You reared back, lips parting as you eyed him. 

“This was your idea,” you murmured in disbelief. 

He blinked, heaving a sigh.

“It’s been three years, my love.”

You knew what he was getting at, and you looked away.

“Steve is a part of my life, your life now, and you have not gotten any closer to accepting that. Not once in the last three years…”

“He is cruel and lacks remorse. How can I ever come to care for him as I do you when he is nothing like you? How can you expect that of me?” you snapped.

James exhaled. 

“Huh?”

James gripped your shoulders, leaning in to stare into your eyes as his nostrils flared.

“Steve is not going anywhere just as you are not going anywhere. We are going to be with each other for eternity...” your heart dropped. “...You have to let each other in.”

You stared at him like he had grown a second head, and even though you knew what they were, had accepted James for what he was, the future had never been given much thought. For some strange reason, the thought of you becoming like them had never crossed your mind. Your thoughts must have been evident on your face.

“I know that we have never discussed it...but I love you. You are mine, and I do not ever plan to let you go. I want to walk this earth with both you and Steve at my side,” he said.

Once again, you were thinking to yourself that your love for James was not worth it. It was not worth another day of Steve’s cruel behavior, and certainly not an eternity. You shook your head, fighting back tears.

“Take me with you...please…”

“This will be good for the both of you-.”

“No!”

His nostrils flared, and you kissed him, fingers pressed to his cheeks.

“Please, James, please. Take me with you!”

“Y/N-.”

“Do not leave me here with him-.”

You cut yourself off with a gasp when he pinched your chin, forcing you to hold still as he stared at you with a look you had never seen before. It made you shiver.

“You will stay here with Steve.”

You closed your eyes in defeat.

“You will be good to him so that he will be good to you. I have spoken with him, and I expect him to be on his best behavior, and the same goes for you.”

He brushed your tears away.

“Do this for me. Try...for me…”

Your heart clenched as he pleaded with you, and you gave a shaky nod, allowing him to kiss you.

“The days will go by quickly.”

That was how you found yourself kissing James goodbye the next day, hand holding his as he lifted himself into the carriage. Steve was behind you, seeing his best friend off, and you did your best to ignore his suffocating presence. James pulled you closer, lips pressing against your fingers as he held your gaze.

“Remember what I said…”

You nodded.

“...you know how he gets. Be good for him...please…”

You wrapped your arms around yourself as you watched him roll away, chest tightening as he got smaller and smaller. The silence was loud and heavy, and without a backwards glance to the king, and you turned to make your way back to the castle. You were surprised that Steve allowed you to, even more surprised when you did not see him for the rest of the day.

Granted, you made a habit of avoiding him, but on occasion he did seek you out. Normally to satisfy his hunger...in one way or another. James was usually around for that though. That first night, you slept more soundly than you had in a while. There were no wandering hands and eager mouths to disturb your sleep, no pain inflicted on your breakable body. You had not realized how much you missed it, and it only made your heart break to know that it would not last.

It was the fourth day without James when Steve finally sought you out. Oddly enough, you had expected it. You had heard about a meeting with some advisors and generals of his. You were unsure of the context of the meeting, but you had heard that Steve had left it the angriest the servants had ever seen him. You were in your sleeping chamber, Guinevere helping you undress when the door to the receiving chamber could be heard opening, the wood bouncing off of the walls.

Since that night, the three of you moved into a bigger chamber that Steve had extended, complete with a fireplace and a receiving chamber that was the same size as the grand bedroom and an equally large bath. It had been passed off as a wedding gift to you and James, but only Guinevere and Mary Jane knew the truth, compelled not to speak a word of the true nature of your relationship to anyone.

You both looked up with wide eyes as Steve stormed into the room. The blue of his eyes were a tad darker, jaw clenched with a thunderous look on his face. He barely acknowledged Guinevere’s presence before demanding she leave. She hesitated for only half a second before scurrying away, closing the doors behind her. You only spoke when you heard her exit the receiving chamber too.

“You could have at least allowed her to finish,” you said, referring to your corset that still needed to be loosened.

Steve’s nostrils flared as he strode towards you, hand spreading over your chin as he jerked you into his chest.

“I am not in the mood for your mouth today. Not unless you plan to put my cock in it,” he spat, shoving you away from him.

You stumbled away, almost tripping over your feet as you steadied yourself against the side table. Your heart hammered in your chest as you watched him loosen his shirt, articles of clothing quickly falling to the floor.

“Get undressed,” he ordered.

Taking a deep breath, you hesitantly did as he asked. However, you seemed to be moving much too slow for his tastes, and before you knew it, you were bent over the bed, the sound of your tearing corset reaching your ears. You yelped as Steve roughly undressed you, what clothes you had left falling to the floor in shreds. He gave you no warning before forcing himself inside of you, a pained whine tumbling from your lips.

You clawed at the sheets, fighting to get away from him, but his hands on your hips kept you in place. He pinned you to the bed, his skin slapping against yours as he thrust into you, anger and frustration fueling every surge of his hips. You had not even noticed that you had started crying until you could taste the salt on your lips.

You felt as if you were barely a person beneath Steve’s imposing form. Every thrust only served to remind you that you were merely there to bring him pleasure, an unwilling toy to provide gratification and blood. As if he could read your mind, Steve’s hand found your hair, yanking your head back just in time for his teeth to find your neck. You gasped, fingers pulling at the sheet as he had his way with you, chest heaving and eyes rolling as you fought to stay coherent. Like always, his teeth in your neck forced you to clench around him, coming with a choked cry, but his assault did not wane.

When he let you go, your head fell to the bed, and you attempted to push yourself up, to crawl away, but Steve was having none of that. He followed, chest pressing into your back, legs forcing yours to widen as the bed shook from the force of his thrusts. You were sobbing now, reaching back to push against him, and Steve batted your hands away like they were made of straw. Eventually, he simply clutched them in his own, pinning them to the bed as he rutted into you. His mouth was at your ear, breathing harsh.

“You are mine...to do with whatever I please…”

One of his hands pressed your head into the bed, and you kicked out, but he only spread your legs wider.

“You seemed like you needed a reminder, a reminder that you belong to me just as you belong to James. _You are mine_. This body is mine. This cunt is mine, and I am sick of you walking around like it’s not.”

“Steve,” you begged.

“Do you think if I mark you up, it will remind you? What if I ruin you so badly you can hardly walk? What will it take for you to get it through your head, hmm?”

With one final thrust, he came inside of you, hands still pinning you down as he remained there, basking in the warmth of your abused core. When he finally pulled away, you winced, curling in on yourself as your shoulders shook. His fingers brushed along your neck, and you shied away from him.

“We shall be spending the rest of eternity together, Y/N.”

You cried harder at his words, such a thought making you sick.

“...how we spend it is entirely up to you.”

The bed trembled as he got off of it, and you pressed your face into the sheets as the door slammed shut behind him.

  


“Y-your grace?” the man before you stammered, stricken.

You pressed the bag of coins into his hand, eyes pleading. The corridor was empty, the corner you stood in dark and secluded.

“Can you do it or not? If not, I will manage it myself, but-.”

“No, your grace! You could get hurt. All manner of things could befall you,” he argued, still in shock over what you had asked of him.

You swallowed, chest heavy as you searched his eyes.

“So you will do it then? You will get me out of here? Tonight?”

He hesitated, but eventually gave you a shaky nod, hand clasping the impressive bag of coins you had presented to him.

“Yes, your grace. I will prepare the horses and the carriage,” he relented.

With a jerky nod, you thanked him. You stepped back, eyes lingering on his before walking away. Guilt tore through you as you made your way down the corridor. This was going to break James’ heart you were sure, but yours had broken a long time ago. You loved him, God knows that you did, but it was not worth it.

It just wasn’t worth it.

You spent your day in the garden like you always did, traveling inside once in a while to read and eat for a bit. You had crossed paths with Steve once, a group of high ranking men surrounding him as they discussed business you were not privy to. His eyes had been cold as they met yours, and you were sure that yours were no different. You stayed outside for the rest of the evening, already dressed for the journey, but anyone you crossed paths with assumed it was due to the chilly weather.

When the night came, Phil was waiting for you with the horse and carriage. As you stepped inside, you were surprised to find that your heartbeat was steady. You were not nervous nor fearful for the future, only sad that you could not give James a proper goodbye. You loved him dearly, but it was time to accept that it was not enough. As the horses trotted along, pulling the carriage, you reminded yourself that it was not enough. It was not enough. It was not enough.

You repeated this over and over in your head until it was all you could hear. The thought of spending another year with Steve’s ire was too much to bear, but the thought of spending an eternity with him? That was enough to make you want to throw yourself into a river. You wished to God that you were stronger, strong enough to take all that Steve threw at you, but you were not. You were not strong enough, and it was okay to admit that. 

You did not know how long the carriage had been rolling when it suddenly came to a stop. The horses neighed, and you heard a sickening crack that made you freeze. 

“Phil?” you called to him.

He did not answer, and you heard the horses neigh again, the carriage shaking, before the sound was abruptly cut off. You stared at the inside of the carriage with wide eyes, trying in vain to listen for any sign of Phil, any sign of anything. Hesitantly, you placed your hand on the door, slowly pushing it open, the cool night air forcing goosebumps to arrive on your covered flesh. You stepped out, shoes crunching the earth beneath you as you stepped around the carriage.

A horrified gasp escaped you at the sight.

The horses were sprawled along the ground, what could only be blood pooling beneath their still forms. Phil was a ways away from them, positioned in a way that you did not know was humanly possible, head twisted at an odd angle. His lifeless eyes stared into yours, the shock and fear still evident on his frozen face.

The realization hit you like a ton of bricks, and you cautiously looked around. Upon seeing no one, you ran to Phil’s body, softly apologizing and saying a small prayer as you searched his body. You were not disappointed. You pulled the small dagger from his trousers with a flourish, looking around as you held it tightly in your hands. You took a small step back as your eyes roamed the darkness for any sign of him.

You slowly spun, shoes crunching the dirt beneath you as you breathed through your nose. You were shaking, gut churning as bile threatened to spill from your lips, but you swallowed it down. He was here. You knew he was, and you blinked away the tears that formed. You sharply spun, hand outstretched, and with a stroke of luck, it was just in time for Steve to appear before you, the silver blade cutting through his shirt. Your eyes widened, a gasp escaping you at both the sight of him and the blood that stained the white material.

Your small victory was short lived, Steve’s hand wrapping around your neck, the other around the wrist that held the dagger. His face was completely unreadable, and you winced as he bent your hand, squeezing it until you had no choice but to let go. The small weapon clattered to the ground, and you fought back the tears that threatened to escape. Steve tilted his head at you, eyes narrowed as he ran them over you, seemingly debating something.

You soon found out what his decision was.

A blood-curdling shriek left your lips at both the feel and sound of the snap. You collapsed to the ground, cradling your broken wrist to your chest, choked sobs leaving you. You heard Steve sigh, and you pressed your forehead into the earth as he stepped over you.

“I must admit...you had me fooled…”

You could not hear what he was doing, but it sounded as if he was dragging the bodies into the woods. You were not sure, hardly able to focus on anything other than the pain shooting down your arm.

“...you almost got away with it,” he murmured, sounding impressed.

You heard him near you, and you struggled to crawl away, crying out when he lifted you into his arms. Your head lolled, vision spinning as you fought to keep your arm still.

“What will James think when I tell him you tried to run away...hmm?”

You did not- could not respond, only able to whimper as your wrist screamed at you.

“What will he think when I inform him that you tried to leave him...leave us...leave me…”

You felt as if you would be sick, and your lashes fluttered, vision going in and out as wind suddenly whipped around you. The next time you opened them, Steve was entering your receiving chamber, dumping you onto the chase, and you cried out. You watched as he moved to grab the bell from his desk, loudly ringing it before tossing it back onto the wood. You did not like how he looked at you.

“I see now that I will have to use other methods to ensure your obedience. What a pity it is that it has come to this…”

If you did not know any better, you would say that he sounded remorseful. You soon found out that it was not for you or anyone’s life, but simply for the inconvenience. Guinevere, having heard the bell, entered the chamber with a fond smile on her face. That fell as soon as she saw you, and her eyes widened.

“Your grace! What has happened?” she wondered, moving towards you.

She had not noticed Steve by the door, and your eyes widened as he approached her.

“Ah. Guinevere…”

The blonde woman spun around, briefly startled by his presence before eventually relaxing. 

“I had hoped it would be you. Mary Jane is the far superior servant and replacing her would have been rather difficult.”

His words struck fear into you, and Guinevere appeared confused by his words, only just opening her mouth to voice that confusion when Steve savagely bit into her neck. All of your breath left you, and you struggled to stand, to get to her, but Steve had already let her go by the time you reached him. Her body fell to the carpet like a sack of potatoes, and you fell to your knees at her side. The carpet beneath her darkened, and a shaky sob escaped you as you stared into her eyes.

“Her death is on your hands…”

You looked up at him in horror, lips trembling as he stood over you, looking down his nose at you. Guinevere’s blood stained his lips, and his eyes appeared brighter.

“The next time you try to leave me, it will be Mary Jane. Then I will find the stable boy you are so fond of. What is his name? Harry? If I must, I will even venture into town, and I will find your family and slaughter them like animals.”

You knew he was telling the truth, and a defeated sob escaped you.

“Do well to remember that this is your doing,” he spat, pointing at Guinevere’s body. “...and whether or not it happens again is entirely dependent upon you. Do we have an understanding?”

You nodded without hesitation, and his shoulders sagged, a smile forming on his lips as he nodded.

“Good,” he said, bending down.

You watched as he bit into his wrist, and you recoiled at the sight.

“Unless you want to walk around with a broken wrist for weeks, I suggest you drink up, sweetheart.”

Disgust filled you, but out of patience, Steve simply shoved his wrist into your mouth. You gagged as his blood ran down your throat. Not at the taste, but at the action itself, and you coughed when he ripped himself away from you. Almost immediately, you felt the pain in your wrist lessening, and you flexed your hand in awe.

“I suggest you prepare for bed as I take care of this…”

Too afraid to look at him or her, too afraid to disobey, you did as he said, tears skipping down your cheeks as you closed the door behind you, sliding down it until you hit the floor.

  


It was sometime in the night when you heard your room door open. Sleep had yet to find you anyway, the rest of your night spent sobbing into your pillows. Your back was to the door, and you trembled, more tears escaping as Steve neared you. The bed moved as he made his way onto it, and you closed your eyes when his hand found your shoulder, moving you onto your back.

You could feel him staring at you, and your heartbeat picked up beneath your chest, threatening to escape. His fingers brushed over the strap of your gown, his cool touch making your skin pebble. You felt him lean in, nose brushing your own, and he exhaled.

“Look at me,” he whispered.

Remembering Guinevere’s body on the floor, you did.

The blue of his eyes was bright in the darkness, and you froze as he simply...stared at you. His chest was bare, and as he moved, his lower half shifting, the rest of him was too. You did not fight him as his hand slid your gown up your legs, allowing him to pull it off of you completely. He hungrily took you in, eyes unreadable as he pressed his lips to yours.

Steve had certainly kissed you before, but never like this. His movements were gentle, taking his time to taste you as he settled between your legs. This side of him was foreign, and it scared you just as easily as the rest of him did. Was he like this because he knew you would not fight? Was he taking his time on purpose, rubbing your defeat in your face? He was even slow to enter you, your mouth parting as he stretched you. 

Steve’s lips brushed over your face, hands finding yours to twist his fingers into yours, pinning your arms beside your head. He curved his hips into yours slowly, and you hated this somehow, turning your head away as tears fell. His mouth brushed your ear.

“If you try to leave us again...there will be hell to pay.”

You held in a sob as he moved against you.

“You are mine,” he said. “I want to hear you say it.”

“I’m yours,” you told him through trembling lips.

And for the rest of the night, Steve took you apart in every way possible, only satisfied when you screamed his name, proclaiming to the heavens that you belonged to him. So exhausted after your fifth climax of the night, you could not even recall passing out from exhaustion, only opening your eyes to an empty bed the next morning. Your body ached, you felt defeated, and you wondered if that was what James saw when he entered your chambers.

Your eyes widened in relief at the sight of him, but one look at his face had your heart dropping. He did not appear pleased to see you, and you knew why before he even voiced it. You stared at the sheets with tears in your eyes as he sat down, a tired sigh escaping him.

“Steve told me what he did,” he whispered, grabbing your wrist to inspect it.

Your eyes met his, and he frowned, looking pained.

“...he also told me what you did.”

Your face crumbled, and you moved to sit up.

“James-.”

He shushed you, holding a hand up.

“You tried to leave us...leave _me_ …”

You released a shaky breath.

“I thought you loved me…”

“I do,” you argued. “You know I love you, James, but…”

“But what?”

“Steve...is not good to me,” you whispered.

His face softened. 

“He will come around,” he told you.

“I am tired of hearing that! Why must I suffer? Why is my misery an inevitable side effect for his personality? Why James?”

His eyes met yours, a hidden anger in them.

“You tried to run away.”

“He hurt me,” you threw back, to which James nodded.

“...and I will talk with him about that,” was his only reply, and you shook your head.

“How many talks must you have?”

“However many it takes until we are all happy together.”

You clenched your jaw as he stood, eyes sullen as he looked down at you.

“I’m very disappointed in you. Very,” he whispered, and somehow that hurt you more than anything else he could have said.

You watched him leave, the door clicking shut behind him, and the tears finally spilled over. You did not leave your chambers for the rest of the day, nor did James come to see you. You had to fight back the tears as Mary Jane served you your food, the absence of her friend heavy. If you closed your eyes, you could still see her lifeless face staring at you. Phil’s too. It would haunt you for the rest of your days. You knew it.

You knew yourself. You knew that you would not be able to play nice with Steve for another day, let alone eternity. You despised the man, and you would slip up, and he would kill someone else to keep you in line. He’d said that Mary Jane would be next, but what if that was a lie? What if he went straight for your family? You pressed your hands to your face, stifling your cries.

When night came, Mary Jane informed you that Steve and James were in a meeting.

“What sort of meeting?” you had asked as she prepared your bath water

She shrugged with a soft smile.

“Oh, I am not sure. I do not practice the art of sticking my nose in the business of the royals, you know that. You shall have to ask them yourself, your grace.”

You nodded, thanking her as you entered the bathroom.

“Would you like anything else, your grace?” she asked.

You neared your hand mirror, admiring it before turning to look at her. You threw her a smile.

“That will be all, Mary Jane. Have the rest of the night off,” you told her.

She blinked in surprise, frowning a bit as she eyed you.

“Are you sure…?”

“Positive. Have a good night.”

She hesitated before eventually wishing you the same, the click of the door signaling her departure. As soon as she was gone, you smashed the mirror, satisfied at all the shards that fell to the floor. You did not undress, determined to go through with this quickly...and succeed. You would be damned if Steve used anyone else’s death as a means to control you.

You sank into the warm water with a sigh, leaning back to stare at the ceiling. You cracked a smile, realizing that life was rather funny in a way. You loved James, but not enough to put up with Steve for an eternity, and James loved you...but perhaps not enough to control Steve better. You softly scoffed, blinking at the ceiling.

Life was funny.

Accepting of your fate, and having no regrets about your decision, you tightened your hand around the mirror shard. It was surprisingly easy to drag the jagged edge across your skin, gasping at the blood that spilled into the water. You did the same to the other, shaky fingers dropping it into the water before you followed, sinking beneath the surface.

You had thought that drowning would hurt, that the lack of air in your lungs would burn, and maybe it did burn, but perhaps the fatigue that the bleeding out caused overpowered that. The ceiling was a blur through the bloody surface of the water, and as you laid there, you were surprised that you did not think of Steve or James or your family. Not even who would discover you. 

The only thing that came to your mind was reddish brown hair and dark eyes, rosy lips pulled into a teasing smile. She was right there, just within reach, and then she was gone just as suddenly as she appeared.

You gasped as air rapidly filled your lungs, familiar hands pulling you from the bloody water. You coughed, choking on the water in your lungs, and frantic hands held your face.

“Y/N!”

Your chest heaved, and James leaned you over, more water spilling from your lips as he pressed his forehead to your cheek, breath shaky.

“What did you do?” he cried, shifting you in his arms. “What did you do?”

Your vision was blurry, the room spinning, and even still, you could see Steve in the doorway, looking every bit as terrifying as always. His blue eyes connected with your fading ones, and the anger you saw there could have stopped your heart...if it was not so faintly beating already.

When your eyes met James’ again, he was biting into his wrist, blood spilling onto your face and lips, and you turned your head away. You were too weak to refuse, but that did not prevent you from trying, and you cried out as he pinned your head in the crook of his elbow. He shoved the appendage against your mouth, forcing as much blood past your lips as possible, and you hit against him.

You were only able to rip yourself away when you had the strength to do so, and by then, he had already succeeded. You stumbled to your feet, away from him, and pressed yourself into the wall. His wide eyes matched yours, tears brimming to the surface, looking as if you had just broken his heart beyond repair.

“Wh-what have you done?” you cried.

“What have _I_ done? What have _you_ done?” he demanded, stepping towards you.

The only thing that escaped you was a choked sob, and you looked down at your healed wrists, your blood still smearing the inside of them. You did not have long to ponder over what had just happened because the consequences of your actions was heading right for you.

“Steve-!”

You screamed as Steve dragged you out of the bathroom and into the receiving chamber, hands tight on you.

“Steve,” James warned.

Steve’s eyes were crazed as he glared at you, nostrils flaring.

“You really think that you can leave us? Leave _me_?”

“Let me go!”

“ _Steve_.”

“I told you that if you tried to leave again, there would be hell to pay,” he sneered, nose brushing yours.

There was something in his eyes that you could not name, something that terrified you. You hit against him, but his hold was firm, and you sobbed when he shook you.

“You tried to leave us…”

His fingers pressed into your face, and he eyed you like you had lost your mind.

“...for good.”

“Steve…”

James’ hand was on his shoulder.

“Let her go, and let’s talk about this. I’m hurt too, alright? I am, but let’s discuss this.”

Steve suddenly stilled, eyes calculating as he looked you over, a light scoff escaped him. He turned to look at James before looking at you and back again. James studied the blond’s face, all the while you struggled in his arms.

“...what?”

“Your blood is coursing through her as we speak…”

You frowned, unsure of what that meant, but the significance was not lost on James. His eyes widened, and he yanked Steve’s shoulder.

“Steve, no!”

Steve tightened his hands on you, and you winced.

“Come now, James,” he breathed, wide eyes boring into your own. “It has to happen some time.”

“Not like this,” James growled.

Steve began to move, and you kicked out as he pulled you with him. It was only when the balcony doors flew open, wind whipping around you, did the fear finally hit you.

Steve was going to kill you.

“Steve-!”

“Do you wish to lose her for good?”

From behind him, James paused, and your confusion grew. You had no idea what was going on, only that Steve meant to kill you...and James considered letting him.

“She will try again, and you know it,” Steve quietly sneered over his shoulder.

James swallowed, conflicted eyes meeting yours before eventually shaking his head.

“Not like this, Steve. She does not deserve this…”

Steve looked at you, and you pleaded with him, nails digging into his arm. He exhaled through his nose as James continued.

“It will happen...it will, but please, Steve. Not like this. Do not do this to her…”

The balcony railing loomed behind you, and Steve eyed it for a moment before loosening his hold on you. Air filled your lungs as he pulled you to your feet, one hand on your arm, the other splayed across your neck.

“You tried to kill yourself...to escape us...forever…”

You frantically shook your head, not above pleading for your life. You had wished for death, but on your own terms. Not at the hands of Steve.

“I was confused,” you shakily told him. “I was angry...and hurt...a-and confused.”

“How can I know that?”

“I will not do it again. I swear to you, Steve. I swear to both of you...please…”

He eyed you, and you heard James call his name.

“Steve, I swear. I swear I will not do it again,” you breathed.

Steve looked down his nose at you, eyes glinting with something that made your stomach drop, and you watched as a smirk slowly danced along his pink lips. He raised an eyebrow at you.

“I don’t believe you.”

Several things all happened at once.

There was a heavy pressure against your chest, Steve’s hands pressing against you so hard you were sure that your bones would shatter. James screamed his name, the loudest and angriest you had ever heard him. Then suddenly, the weight, that pressure on your chest was gone, and you could breathe. You could breathe, and you were in the air. Flying, falling, falling over the balcony, the world spinning past you, the night sky staring down at you as the wind filled your ears. As quickly as it started, it came to an end, and the most unimaginable pain filled you, but that too ended quickly.

And it was dark.

  


You sat up with a scream, eyes wide and vision sharp as you clutched your chest, mind so jumbled you could hardly tell what was what. A voice was there, familiar and soft, followed by familiar hands, and you pushed them away. You screamed again, unable to focus on anything before you until those hands gripped your face, holding you still.

James.

His name came to you immediately, and the memories of him followed, so clearly and quickly it took your breath away. He shushed you, forcing you to keep your eyes on him. Did he always look this way? Sound this way? Smell this way? Something was not right. You could feel it, but you could not pinpoint what it was.

“James,” you murmured.

“Yes, yes, it’s me,” he breathed, thumbs brushing your cheeks.

“I…”

You trailed off, fighting hard to sort your memories, and you pressed your hand to your chest. You paused, unable to feel your heartbeat, and your eyes widened. They met his again, and his blue eyes were clouded with so many emotions. Anger, regret, despair, satisfaction, and hunger.

“What-?”

Just then, the door to your chambers opened, and in walked a familiar blond. Steve. That name, and the memories of him, came to you quicker than with James, and your eyes narrowed.

“Welcome back, sweetheart,” he drawled, the words dripping from his lips like venom, making you flinch.

He leaned against the wall, and your lips trembled as your last memory crept over you like a deadly fog. You gasped, pressing your hands harder against your chest before quickly feeling your head, crying as you realized that you were perfectly fine. It was only then did a scent hit your nose, something you had never smelled before that made your mouth water, teeth aching. For what, you did not know.

You only just noticed the squirming woman in Steve’s hold, and you recognized her face too. Mary Jane. Your servant, and she was terrified, tears streaming down her face as she fought against Steve. Steve followed your gaze, and James’ arms tightened on you, and you heard him growl at the other man in warning. Steve’s eyes met yours again, lips pulling into a triumphant smirk, voice coming out like a purr as he spoke.

“Thirsty?”


End file.
